Fire station earmarked for a total remodel
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RUNCORN and Widnes fire stations are to undergo renovation works with Runcorn’s ageing facility on Heath Road expected to require major remodelling to bring it up to scratch.
Cheshire Fire Authority (CFA) has earmarked £8.5m to modernise 21 stations across the county, with an initial £3.5m to be released.
The CFA has said the three stations in need of full remodelling – Runcorn, Ellesmere Port, and Macclesfield, were provisionally expected to cost £1,349,550 to complete, but Runcorn is predicted to cost an extra £800,000 due to its deteriorating state.
Fire chiefs met last Wednesday to rubber stamp the plans.
Twenty- one stations are to be renovated, but four that opened in Alsager, Lymm, Mollington in Chester and Penketh in the last three years will remain as they are and do not need any work done to be carried out.
Of the 21 assessed, 12 are fit for purpose but need some remedial work, six need some alterations and remedial work to be fit for purpose, and three need full remodelling.
Three stations – Runcorn, Macclesfield and Ellesmere Port – need the most work to be brought up to scratch with a full remodelling, while the remaining 12 including Widnes are still fit for purpose but are in line for remedial work. A report issued at Wednesday’s meeting said that of the 21 stations to be renovated, 11 were built in the 1960s, six are from the 1970s, one was built in the 1980s and three are from the 1990s.
The authority is plan- ● ning to work on a ‘worst first’ basis as much as possible, with the full scheme expected to be completed in 2024.
Andrew Leadbetter, CFA director of governance and commissioning, said: “We’ve got an ageing, old-fashioned, deteriorating set of buildings that need a significant refreshment to bring up to a modern standard, and your new fire stations have raised expectations.
“We now have a good idea of what is needed, and thankfully more than half of the 21 fire stations remain fit for use.
“But unfortunately we need some significant works at the other nine – and three of them need a really good, major rehauling to make them work properly.
“Works of this kind will obviously cause disruption, so we can’t do this stuff everywhere at once, so we need to prioritise and manage the programme well.”
Cheshire Fire Authority says that fire station use has changed over time, with old stations now ‘ generally larger than required’ for current staffing levels.
Cllr Eleanor Johnson, Conservative, said: “I fully agree with the report.
“We all want the best for the whole of Cheshire, and I think our fire officers deserve the best that we can provide for them, so I do think it is a good step forward.”
Cllr Bob Rudd, chairman of Cheshire Fire Authority, added: “I think the ‘worst first’ principle is a good one to adopt, but it isn’t always possible and I understand that.”
Chester, Warrington and Crewe fire stations will not be renovated as part of the project – but Crewe is in line for a replacement station in partnership with Cheshire police.