Morgan Sindall Construction is celebrating the opening of the new Bishop’s Waltham Fire Station in Hampshire, the first of three upcoming fire stations as Morgan Sindall progresses with the next step of investment for blue light facilities
The new Bishop’s Waltham Fire Station is the first on-call fire station (retained) to be built for Hampshire in over 40 years. It is also the first of three blue light facilities to be delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) to help restore and improve fire and rescue facilities in the region.
Bishop’s Waltham Fire Station is supporting the vision for modern fit for purpose blue light facilities across the region
The investment is worth a combined construction value of £22.5m. It will support the service’s long-term vision for modern, fit-for-purpose blue light facilities across the region and enable front-line firefighters and volunteers to continue to make life safer for the local community.
Morgan Sindall was selected by HIWFRS through the Southern Construction Framework (SCF) to deliver the projects, which include Bishop’s Waltham Community Fire Station, Cosham Fire Station in Portsmouth and the Live Fire Training Facility at their headquarters in Eastleigh.
Work at the development began 12 months ago at Bishops Waltham to demolish the existing station and create a brand-new facility which will provide more dynamic training and resilience to flooding, which is key to the area.
A 250sqm building with a range of vital amenities has been achieved
The station comprises an appliance bay, offices, an external tower and roof training rig, training areas, a mess hall and changing and breathing apparatus cleaning facilities. The station also includes a dedicated community engagement area which is accessible to local groups.
Morgan Sindall installed solar panels, air source heat pumps, and high insulation with low air loss as part of its commitment to reducing carbon impact. The contractor also supported the local economy by exclusively using local sub-contractors.
The new facility will provide a specialist training hub with increased space and facilities
In February, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the new site in Cosham, where a £16m facility is being built. The development will consist of a three-storey main building over 2700m2 and a four-storey training tower over 220m2.
Since work began, the concrete foundations have been laid following the demolition of the existing building. The steel frame is set to be erected in June before handing over the facility in May next year.
Morgan Sindall also rolled out its 10-Tonne Challenge
The challenge encourages its employees to work with consultants and its supply chain to find intelligent solutions that reduce carbon from the buildings it delivers by a minimum of 10 tonnes.
At Cosham, a total of 534 tonnes of carbon dioxide was saved, the equivalent of heating 172 homes annually. This was achieved during the pre-construction phase, where the design team worked to change the foundation from concrete piling to pads. This solution requires significantly less material, saving carbon and capex.
Meanwhile, in Eastleigh, work is well underway at the £3.5m Live Fire Training site, where the team started construction at the beginning of this year to produce a new 120sqm facility, set to complete in June.
A Live Carbonaceous Fire Training Facility will be provided
Once complete, the Live Fire Training Facility will be one of very few of its kind in operation and presents vital experience to trainees as they tackle controlled fire situations whilst experiencing realistic after-effects and complications under supervision.
Due to the specialist nature of the building, Morgan Sindall has provided expertise in supplying materials such as fire-retardant tiles and a specialist duct filtration system.
The design features a precast concrete frame constructed offsite, reducing the carbon footprint of transporting multiple materials. The contractor will also employ CarboniCa, its in-house developed digital tool, to track and reduce its carbon footprint.
The three blue light facilities will meet the evolving needs of the community
Clifford Kinch, area director for Morgan Sindall’s South region, said: “Supporting and improving the local community is fundamental to our operations. These three projects represent our great pride in restoring and implementing local facilities that meet the evolving needs of the community.
“We’re extremely proud to offer our expertise after working on similar projects around the country. Each project also presents a great chance to offer the younger generation of construction with vital hands-on experience. The team feel a great privilege in being able to support the emergency services and look forward to completing each project.”
Providing stations with modern and inclusive facilities
Arron Hedges, head of properties and facilities at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service added: “We are committed to providing stations with modern and inclusive facilities for the benefit of our colleagues and the communities we’re so proud to serve.
“We worked closely with Morgan Sindall Construction to ensure the new build met our estate design principles, and it’s exciting we are now able to officially open the station and look back on all the work that led us to this point.
“The rebuild of Bishop’s Waltham Fire Station is part of our wider estates improvement programme, with upgrades planned at more stations across Hampshire and Isle of Wight and a brand-new fire station at Cosham, set to become operational next year.”
‘A historic period for the station and town’
Bishop’s Waltham Fire Station watch manager, Ady Smith, concluded: “I am extremely proud to hold this post during such a historic period for the station and town. The excellent facilities we now have access to will help us keep the public safe.
“As well as training and responding to incidents, we will be able to reach out and engage with our local community from our new station.”
