An £8 million overhaul of High Wycombe’s ageing fire station has been approved, aimed at keeping it operational for at least another 50 years.
Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority backed the comprehensive refurbishment and reconfiguration of High Wycombe Fire Station in St Mary Street.
The authority will fund the major project using £8 million from its capital reserves.
Opened in 1966, the station is now suffering from deteriorating concrete, electrical problems, faulty appliance-bay doors and outdated facilities for firefighters.
More than 200 defects and maintenance requests have been recorded in just two years, while a previous survey identified a maintenance and condition backlog of around £458,000.
Asbestos-containing materials have also been found inside the building.
Plans for the overhaul include repairs to the concrete frame, masonry, floors, roof, canopy and training-tower base.
The proposed work would also renew electrical systems, drainage, security, ICT equipment and other vital infrastructure.
The station’s internal layout would be redesigned to separate areas containing contaminated firefighting equipment from clean spaces used by crews.
Plans would protect kitchens, offices, rest areas and the gym as clean zones, while providing improved facilities for washing, drying and storing protective equipment.
Improved changing rooms, showers, toilets, rest areas and other welfare facilities would also be provided, offering firefighters greater accessibility, dignity and privacy.
A structural survey carried out in July found that, despite the building’s problems, its main structure remained serviceable.
The survey concluded that a thorough refurbishment and an effective maintenance programme could extend the structure’s life by at least 50 years.
Chief Fire Officer Louise Harrison said: “The approval of this £8 million investment is an important step towards delivering a modern fire station that will serve High Wycombe and the surrounding communities for decades to come.
“This project will provide better facilities for our people, improve sustainability, support firefighter safety through enhanced contamination controls, and create a more inclusive working environment.”
The authority selected refurbishment over demolishing the station and replacing it with a new building.
The current £7.99 million forecast includes almost £6 million for construction, £700,000 for temporary accommodation and operational arrangements and £899,191 set aside for unexpected costs.
Arrangements for maintaining emergency cover during construction are still being developed.
The service is exploring phased construction and partial occupation of the building, which could allow some operational activity to continue from the site while work takes place.
Detailed plans suggest a planning application could be submitted in early 2027, with the main refurbishment expected to run from July 2028 until February 2029.
The refurbished station is expected to be occupied during 2029.
Cllr Phil Gomm criticised the time taken to bring the project forward.
He said: “I am quite disappointed it has taken so long to get to where we are.”
Warning that further delays could cause costs to soar, he added: “In another year’s time, £8 million could become £16 million because of the way prices are rising.”
Fire Authority chairman Cllr Llew Monger said: “This is a hugely complicated project. The message to the teams is: get on with it.”
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