Glossop: Soaring costs force rethink on new fire station

Fire service bosses have delayed plans to replace the Glossop station

Plans to build a new fire station in Derbyshire have been put on hold because of spiralling costs.

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service wants to replace the town's existing 1970s-built station but has now paused the project.

The new station was originally to cost £3.3m but rising material costs and soaring interest rates have pushed the estimate to more than £6m.

Chief fire officer Rob Taylor said it would "not be responsible" to proceed.

The fire service had hoped to have Glossop's new station open by 2025 but the current building, in Whitfield Park, will be kept in use for at least 18 months more.

Mr Taylor said: "A decision has been taken to defer the new build fire station planned for Glossop due to the economic downturn and volatile market conditions which are affecting both the cost of materials and interest rates on borrowing.

"It is simply not responsible to commit to such a cost in the midst of a particularly challenging economic time.

"To do so has the potential to force us in to considering more difficult decisions that may negatively affect our service delivery.

'Volatile market conditions'

He added: "This deferment is a temporary measure to allow us to reimagine the current plans and explore progressing a different and more cost-effective new-build solution.

"We have a duty to ensure we seek best value and efficiency savings in everything we do, as well as delivering an effective emergency service to the communities of Derbyshire.

"With this in mind, I am confident that we are taking the right action to address a 100% rise in projected costs for this project.

"We will now take the time to explore if a different footprint at Glossop could potentially deliver a smarter and more environmentally sustainable solution, while ensuring we still have the same emergency response available from that base.

"Our commitment remains to deliver a modern, purpose-built station."

The fire service previously decided to defer building a new fire station in New Mills but intends to continue with a new-build project in Matlock.