Wates wins £4.6m deal for Saughall Massie fire station
Wates has been chosen to build the Saughall Massie fire station for Merseyside Fire & Rescue Services, nearly a year after plans for the project were approved by Wirral Council despite local opposition.
Appointed through the North West Construction Hub, Wates will build the single-storey two-bay fire station including offices, drill and training facilities, and meetings rooms, as well as a green roof.
Work is scheduled to start this month and will complete in April 2019. It is Wates’ second project for the MFRS, following the completion of Prescot fire station earlier this year.
Plans for the project on green belt land were approved in July last year, after Wirral’s planning committee voted seven to six to give it the go-ahead, and the new station will replace two existing stations in Upton and West Kirby.
The fire station has not been without controversy and was previously criticised as “an unnecessary assault on the green belt” by local residents. These led to the building’s height being reduced by around 30% while the length of the development was also cut by 30ft.
Tony Shenton, business unit director for Wates Construction North West, said: “Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services’ Station Mergers programme requires a great deal of efficiency to ensure that necessary works are delivered promptly without a compromise on quality.
“It is of course essential that public sector investment is utilised to benefit local people and we have put the community straight at the heart of our project strategy at Saughall Massie with our commitment to create local training and employment opportunities throughout the project.”
Chief fire officer for Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Phil Garrigan, added: “Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service are excited to be working with Wates on our latest station and we really look forward to seeing the architect’s plans come alive.
“After listening carefully to feedback from residents, we have made efforts to ensure that the station design is unobtrusive and will have minimal impact on the environment.”