LOCATION:
A £6m tri-service facility developed for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS), delivering a modern, shared emergency response hub for fire, police and ambulance services. The project enhances response times, improves inter-service collaboration, and provides valuable community space for local residents.
Key features of the development included:
- Construction of a purpose-built tri-service station for Thames Valley Police and South Central Ambulance Service alongside RBFRS.
- Full site clearance and ground remediation, including contaminated land treatment.
- Installation of piling and ground beams to support a suspended slab.
- Steel frame construction with a mix of masonry, rainscreen and standing seam cladding.
- Installation of metal decking and concrete upper floors.
- Delivery of specialist features including:
- Firefighter poles from second floor to ground
- Feature staircase around a passenger lift
- Construction of a training tower and associated facilities.
- External works including hardstanding, asphalt and block paving.
- New site access and emergency exit onto the A4.
- Installation of roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) panels.
- Full M&E systems, including fire alarms, CCTV, access control, sprinklers and lightning protection.
- Reuse of site materials reduced environmental impact and transport emissions.
- Installation of solar PV panels supports long-term energy efficiency.
- Active community engagement, including:
- Public consultations and updates
- Fundraising initiatives supporting the Fire Fighters Charity
- Use of drone technology to provide transparent project updates to stakeholders.
The project required the transformation of a contaminated brownfield site, previously owned by Network Rail, into a fully operational emergency services hub.
Key challenges included:
- Managing extensive contamination and asbestos risks during groundworks.
- Coordinating multiple stakeholders across three emergency services.
- Delivering complex construction works while maintaining strict environmental and safety controls.
- Ensuring optimal site layout to improve response times across key transport routes (M4 and A4 corridors).
A comprehensive and carefully managed approach was adopted:
- Engagement of specialist contractor VertaseFLI to undertake licensed remediation works, including:
- Controlled excavation and waste classification
- On-site material screening, crushing and reuse
- Continuous environmental monitoring
- Implementation of 3D earthworks modelling, enabling reuse of site-won materials and reducing waste export.
- Deployment of a material tracking system to ensure compliance with environmental and disposal regulations.
- Protection of existing ecology, including tree safeguarding in line with BS 5837:2012.
- Use of a self-delivery model, enabling efficient coordination of civil engineering and building disciplines under one contractor.
- Close collaboration with stakeholders and the local community through regular updates and engagement initiatives.
The project delivered:
- A strategically located emergency services hub improving response times across West Berkshire.
- A fully integrated base for fire, police and ambulance teams, enhancing operational collaboration.
- A modern, sustainable building, incorporating renewable energy and efficient construction practices.
- A community room, offering a flexible and accessible space for local groups and residents.
The station strengthens local infrastructure while supporting both public safety and community engagement.
