Work on Bromsgrove emergency hub gets under way

The new site will replace a police and fire station and could cut costs by about 20%

Building work has started on a combined emergency services station in Worcestershire.

The new police and fire station in Bromsgrove will also incorporate an ambulance response post.

The development will replace the police and fire stations currently in the town.

West Mercia Police said the new building on Slideslow Drive, near the Artrix theatre, would be ready by January 2014.

Police said the station would be the first project delivered under the Worcestershire Capital Asset Pathfinder initiative, which aims to save money and increase efficiency through partnerships between public services.

Jim Stobie, from West Mercia Police, said: "The new site will replace two old police and fire stations that are expensive to run and will incur increasing costs to maintain as time goes on."

He said that by sharing common facilities the cost of the new building would be reduced by 20%.