Contractors bid to build 16 fire stations across region

A tender process will begin in August to appoint contractors on a £66.4m private finance initiative to build new fire stations in Cumbria, Lancashire and Merseyside.

The Department for Communities and Local Government today confirmed funding under the North West Fire & Rescue Service PFI project for new facilities in the following locations:

• Cumbria: five new stations – Carlisle East, Carlisle West (two stations), Penrith (incorporating County Council Emergency Planning Unit & Emergency Control Room) and Workington
• Lancashire: four new stations – Blackburn, Burnley, Chorley and Fleetwood
• Merseyside: seven new stations – Belle Vale, Birkenhead, Bootle/Netherton, Formby, Kirkdale (incorporating an Operational Resource Centre), Newton le Willows, Southport (including an ambulance station).

The fire stations are to be built on a mixture of new and existing sites, in some cases involving demolition and phased working around operational units.

Contractors are due to be appointed by December 2009.