Orpington’s brand new fire station opened yesterday, Wednesday 1st July.
Firefighters have now begun operating from the new station. One crew and their engine have been working from a temporary station which was built at the rear of the existing site, since January 2014. The other crew and fire engine were being hosted at Beckenham fire station, but moved back to Orpington yesterday morning.
Built by Blue3 (a Kier led consortium), the new state-of-the-art building provides crews with brand new facilities fit for the 21st century. Construction of the temporary fire station began in September 2013; work on the new station began in January 2014 and was completed earlier this month.
The construction project is part of a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project that sees nine London fire stations coming to the end of their life, replaced by brand new buildings.
Borough Commander Daniel Cartwright, said: "This brand new fire station is good news for the local community. The former Orpington Fire Station no longer met the demands of a modern fire and rescue service.
"The new station will provide us with facilities fit for the 21st century and reinforces our commitment to providing the best possible service to Londoners."
The rebuilt station features areas within the station that the public can visit to access important fire safety information, as well as a community room available for bookings.
There is also a larger appliance bay. It also houses a station office, lecture and quiet study rooms and a kitchen and dining area for firefighters. There are also separate shower, changing and resting areas that can be modified to accommodate the different male to female ratio on each watch.
Following the move into the new station, the final stages of the construction will be progressed with the removal of the temporary station from the rear yard and the construction of the four storey training tower.
The design of the new fire station meets the highest environmental standards, as well as providing a high level of natural light, the building draws energy for power and heating from renewable sources including a combined heat and power unit and solar panels. The building also reduces energy and water demands, cutting running costs and contributing to the Brigade’s overall environmental performance.
Notes to Editors
The Brigade was awarded £51.5m from the Department of Communities and Local Government in PFI credits to rebuild nine new stations. These stations are Dockhead, Dagenham, Leytonstone, Mitcham, Purley, Old Kent Road, Shadwell, Plaistow and Orpington. All will become operational either in 2015 or 2016. The Brigade’s delivery partner for this project is Blue3, a Kier led consortium.