Planning permission for the rebuild of Crowthorne Fire Station was approved by Bracknell Forest Council on Tuesday, 10 July.
Crowthorne will become Royal Berkshire’s second tri-service community station, following the opening of Hungerford Community Fire Station in July 2017. It will offer a shared location for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS), Thames Valley Police (TVP) and South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS)
In addition, a community room will be included in the build, providing a flexible, fully accessible meeting space for local residents and community groups to use.
Ahead of the planning application being approved, RBFRS have worked closely with residents to share the plans and show that they are sensitive to local needs as well as meeting the requirements of a modern fire and rescue service.
Councillor Colin Dudley, Chairman of Royal Berkshire Fire Authority, said: “The three emergency services have a long history of close partnership working in Berkshire. The co-location of Fire, Ambulance and Police within the new Crowthorne Community Fire Station will ensure that there will be even more opportunities to use our collective skills and experience to best serve Crowthorne village.”
Councillor Angus Ross, Strategic Asset Lead who is leading the Crowthorne rebuild project for the Fire Authority, said: “We’re delighted that plans for Crowthorne have been approved. The new station will provide a community hub that all three emergency services will be responding from, which will further strengthen our partnership working. This efficient collaboration of blue light services in the village will further increase operational effectiveness for the local community and surrounding areas.”
The work is anticipated to begin around Easter 2019, with completion expected in summer 2020. While the Fire Station is being re-built, the retained (on-call) crew and fire engine will be turning out from an alternative location in close proximity to the High Street. Therefore, a swift and effective response from Crowthorne to emergencies will be maintained.