- Beam-signing ceremony at Blackley Community Fire Station construction site marks key milestone in the station rebuild
- Improvements are part of £38m investment programme across Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s estate as service invests in its people, communities and future
- Deputy Mayor, Chief Fire Officer, firefighters and partners attend beam-signing
Blackley is set to get a brand-new community fire station following demolition of the former station on Rochdale Road.
The development is part of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s (GMFRS) programme of improvements as outlined in its four-year Fire Plan in 2021, as the service continues to protect its communities.
Marking a key-milestone in the new station’s development, a beam-signing ceremony and site tour took place on Friday 26 July 2024. Attendees included the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Kate Green, Chief Fire Officer Dave Russel, and firefighters from Blackley.
Kate Green, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, said:
“It was great to see the brilliant progress up close at the construction site for Blackley Community Fire Station. After a site tour you can really see how this station will come together to serve the community and protect the generations of the future.
“I’m proud see my signature on the steel beam that forms part of the structure of the new fire station, marking a significant moment in the history of this fantastic service that protects its communities and saves lives.”
The new station is on track to be in operation for summer 2025 and will boast improved facilities for GMFRS’s workforce and communities, as well as reduced carbon footprint; supporting Greater Manchester’s target to become carbon-neutral by 2038.
Dave Russel, Chief Fire Officer at GMFRS, said:
“I feel immensely proud to see the first of our new community fire stations really starting to take shape.
“Thanks again to residents and our staff members, who had their say to shape the new station – a true example of how we work together and invest in our people, Greater Manchester and its residents while striving to become a modern, environmentally friendly, flexible and resilient fire and rescue service.”
The development work in Blackley, which is being carried out by ISG, forms as part of GMFRS’s 16-year Estates Improvements Programme, which saw £38m announced by the former Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester in July 2021 for the first phase of the programme, which runs until 2026.
This multi-million-pound investment will provide modern and environmentally friendly stations with a reduced carbon footprint. The plans for each station include the installation of sustainable heating and lighting systems.
Mike Kennedy-Gill, Framework Manager at ISG, said:
“This significant construction milestone demonstrates real progress on the realisation of Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s investment masterplan. Delivering new state-of-the-art community facilities will further enhance the service’s capabilities, while a core focus on carbon reduction and energy efficiency measures will mitigate the environmental impact and reduce running costs for these new assets.”
Along with the new build in Blackley, the first phase of GMFRS’s programme will see brand new stations built in other areas of Greater Manchester. Next in the pipeline is Whitefield with preparation work underway.
Smaller scale upgrades are also being made to stations across the city-region as part of a station refresh programme.
For further information about the programme, visit: Blackley Community Fire Station, Manchester – Greater Manchester Fire Rescue Service
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