Location – Shrewsbury
Value – £3 to £5m
Duration – 79 weeks
Completion – November 2016
Architect – Baart Harries Newall
Engineer – Carroll and Williams
Form of Contract – JCT Intermediate with Contractors Design 2005
Client – Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

This was a complicated contract which was carried out on an existing fire station site – and where the fire service needed to remain fully operational for the duration of the construction process.

The project was split into 4 phases:

• Phase 1 was the alterations to the existing workshops to provide temporary accommodation to enable the following phase’s vacation. Enabling works also completed to the communication centre to ensure services remain unaffected during the project
• Phase 2 involved a large 3 storey steel frame extension and a full refurbishment of the existing 3 storey building
• Phase 3 was the demolition of the redundant three storey office block following the occupation of the 2nd phase, the building footprint was then landscaped and car parking formed.
• Phase 4 returned the temporary accommodation altered during phase 1 back into workshops and office space

As well as the site remaining operational throughout the programme, there were other key challenges that arose during the time on site – such as the large amount of unknown asbestos hidden within the existing structure. Another key challenge was the restructuring within the Fire Brigade and the introduction of the Control for the whole of Shropshire. This meant a full redesign of the interior layout of the building. Despite this full redesign, the project remained within the original contract sum.

Throughout the contract, there was no stage at which the construction works affected the performance of the fully functioning fire station, and the construction team received glowing reports from the Fire Authority following handover.