The new Combined Police and Fire hub is home to officers and staff from West Mercia Police and Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) ensuring greater value for taxpayers’ money and boosting the service to local communities.
Constructed by building contractor Speller Metcalfe, the £18million state-of-the-art building was led by Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion and overseen by his Estates Team in partnership with West Mercia Police and HWFRS.
The Redditch Combined Police and Fire Hub project successfully overcame several environmental challenges to bring the scheme to fruition, including building on a former landfill site with contaminated land. Key hurdles such as managing the presence of knotweed, relocating badgers, and ensuring the safety of nesting birds and bats were addressed. This involved purchasing adjacent land for the safe relocation of the badgers.
The project saw excellent collaboration between SML and the OPCC, fostering a positive and productive working relationship. Additionally, the close proximity to the fire station meant that we worked closely with the fire service to maintain uninterrupted access to their facilities throughout construction.
The project was completed on time and within budget, providing essential infrastructure for both the fire and police services on a single site, effectively utilizing previously undeveloped land.
Three Winning Facts:
- £8.78 million social value return throughout the project
- Strengthened joint emergency service response for the surrounding community through the purpose-built facility.
- The project overcame significant ecological hurdles to get it to site including remediating contaminated land and relocating wildlife
