Work starts on a brand new Police and Fire Station in Stowmarket

Work has started on the first totally new-build Police and Fire Station in Suffolk. The new joint station, serving the Stowmarket area, boasts a range of green credentials and is expected to be operational in June 2022.

The start of works was officially marked today (Monday 26 July) by Police and Crime Commissioner, Tim Passmore; County Councillor Andrew Reid, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Public Protection & Communities; Chief Constable, Steve Jupp and T/Fire Chief, Dan Fearn.

Photovoltaic panels, an air source heat pump system and 14 electric vehicle charging points will be included in a catalogue of green credentials for the new building. In addition, thermal modelling has been undertaken to ensure Insulation levels are of the highest standard to reflect the aspect of the building and areas will be zoned to reflect occupancy levels which will differ for Police and Fire use.

Sited on the A1120 junction with the B1113 Needham Road in Stowmarket, the facility is the latest in a programme of joint fire and police stations across the county, aiming to reduce costs for both public services and improve joined-up work between the two blue-light services. The Stowmarket station is the first new build that has been undertaken by this blue light collaboration to date, the 11 other shared stations have all involved refurbishment and extensions on existing fire station sites.
Tim Passmore, Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner said:
“I am delighted to mark the start of works on this ambitious project with Suffolk Fire and Rescue. This is great news for the Constabulary, for Suffolk Fire and Rescue and for the local communities in Stowmarket and the surrounding villages.
“Working together is absolutely key to meeting the financial challenges that we face. The 11 existing shared stations across the county have proved a tremendous success. This new facility in Stowmarket and the new joint station at Princes Street in Ipswich will see equal benefit I’m sure.
“This collaboration saves the public purse the cost of running multiple buildings and improves the joint working of these two-key blue-light services, which makes perfect sense.”
Councillor Andrew Reid, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Public Protection & Communities at Suffolk County Council, said:
“It’s really exciting to get construction of this project underway. I’m particularly pleased to see a focus on the reduction of carbon emissions and use of green alternatives as part of the build.
“I’m sure that Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service colleagues will be proud to serve the local community from a station which is designed to consider its local environment too. Coupled with all the new facilities that will be available to our emergency services, this will be an excellent base from which we can continue to keep Suffolk safe.”
The £3.7m build is funded by a £1.24m grant from the Department Communities and Local Government, Mid Suffolk District Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) allocation of £431k, £1.5m from the Police and Crime Commissioner and £550k from Suffolk County Council/Suffolk Fire and Rescue. The land was purchased by the PCC and SCC, and it will be jointly owned.
The new station, designed by Concertus and being built by Morgan Sindall Construction, will benefit from excellent access to the main A14 arterial road network as well as access to the local road network in and around Stowmarket itself.

Grant support from Central Government has been a key enabler in all these joint Police and Fire schemes and is reward for the hard work both the Fire Executive and Police Estates teams put into the challenging application process six years ago to secure approx. £4.9m worth of government funding without which it is unlikely that so many joint schemes such as this and the current refurbishment at Princes St would have been possible.

The Stowmarket facility will include:
A dedicated office for the local Policing team and the Serious Collision Investigation Team who are all currently based in Stowmarket Police Station with capacity for other officers and to use as a drop-in facility given the central Suffolk location.
Provision of a single appliance Fire Station crewed by on call Firefighters from the local area.
Interview, meeting and briefing rooms for Police
Police and Fire locker and kit bag areas
External help point telephone facility to contact the Constabulary’s control room
Secure dedicated car parking for operational Police vehicles
Visitor parking with electric vehicle charging capability
Outdoor training area for Fire and Police exercising
Joint training and community rooms
Shared kitchen, amenity space and recreation areas
Shared toilet and shower facilities
Facilities to accommodate the Salvation Army Welfare Support Unit.
Potential to extend Blue Light collaboration with East of England Ambulance Service for a drop-in facility for Ambulance crews.

The new building incorporates:

• PV cells not solar panels, they are different, PV Cells produce electricity from sunlight which will benefit the station and offer surplus into the grid.
• Air Source Heat pump systems to supply under floor heating in certain areas of the station.
• 14 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points. 8 in Police area, 4 in Fire and 2 in public visitors area for the charging of Operational Police and Fire vehicles as well as visitors.
• Thermal modelling has been undertaken to ensure Insulation levels are of the highest standard to reflect the aspect of the building and areas will be zoned with separate heating controls so that there is a degree of control for heating and ventilating those areas to reflect occupancy levels which will differ for Police and Fire use.

Construction time line is July 2021 with completion scheduled for June 2022 with occupancy once ICT systems are installed autumn 2022.

Pictured ( l-r) T/Fire Chief, Dan Fearn ,Tim Passmore, PCC; County Councillor Andrew Reid, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Public Protection & Communities; Chief Constable, Steve Jupp.