New Alnwick fire station and depot close to completion

A flagship new fire station and expanded council depot on the southern outskirts of Alnwick is almost complete.
Project manager Michael Connelly with fire officers Glyn Cooper, Nick Douglas, John Winter, Pat Caffrey and Mark McCarty and county councillors Gordon Castle, Ian Swithenbank, Heather Cairns and Dave Ledger at the new community fire station and expanded council depot in Alnwick.
 Picture by Jane ColtmanProject manager Michael Connelly with fire officers Glyn Cooper, Nick Douglas, John Winter, Pat Caffrey and Mark McCarty and county councillors Gordon Castle, Ian Swithenbank, Heather Cairns and Dave Ledger at the new community fire station and expanded council depot in Alnwick.
 Picture by Jane Coltman
Project manager Michael Connelly with fire officers Glyn Cooper, Nick Douglas, John Winter, Pat Caffrey and Mark McCarty and county councillors Gordon Castle, Ian Swithenbank, Heather Cairns and Dave Ledger at the new community fire station and expanded council depot in Alnwick. Picture by Jane Coltman

Finishing touches are being made to the county council’s £5million project on a site at Lionheart Industrial Estate, just off the A1.

All exterior work is now complete, while inside fixtures and fittings are being installed and the facility due to open in the coming weeks.

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The new station is more cost-efficient and provides improved community services, with a modern, fit-for-purpose building and better training facilities.

The site is shared between the fire and rescue service and the council’s local services group, which provides all waste, highway maintenance and neighbourhood services to communities in Alnwick and the surrounding areas.

The extended facility will create more space, bigger workshops and better access for the public as well as allowing other council teams to be based there.

The new fire station will replace the existing outdated station on South Road, while the Willowburn depot site – where housing plans have already been submitted – will close when the new Lionheart facility is complete and open.

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Coun Dave Ledger, deputy leader of Northumberland County Council and chairman of the fire authority, said: “These superb new facilities will improve the fire service for our communities while boosting the joined-up nature of services that the council provides and improving service delivery.

“The new site will have so many advantages compared to the current fire station, with state-of-the-art facilities fit for the 21st century.”

Coun Ian Swithenbank, cabinet member for local services, added: “The council is committed to co-locating services wherever possible and this is a great example where we can base two important facilities on one site.

“Many of the local services based at Lionheart need easy access onto the A1 and this represents a great location for them. The community and our staff will all benefit from this move and I know teams are looking forward to working from a clean, modern depot.”