Stowmarket Fire and Police Station

To streamline the facilities that both the Police and Fire services offer, a new build Police and Fire Station has been erected in the town of Stowmarket in Suffolk. The project is one of 11 in a suite of projects to join the Fire and Police services together. This particular project holds importance as it is the first of its kind, being the first new build joint Fire and Police service station in Suffolk.

Key Stats

SCCF2 Framework
First combined New Build Fire and Police station in Suffolk
Previously a vacant Brownfield site
44 CCS Score

At a Glance

Client

Suffolk County Council

Budget

£4.1m

Completion

December 2022

Location

Stowmarket, Suffolk

Framework

Suffolk County Council Framework 2 (SCCF2)

Sector

Emergency Services

Social value

TBC

Sustainability

97% Waste Diverted from Landfill

Our Approach

The view for the project was to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the Police and Fire services which meant combining both services into one building. The site was overgrown with various trees, bushes, and hedges. Therefore, part of the scope of works included removal of the overgrown foliage before a reduced level dig could commence on site.

The once brownfield site sits in an industrial area with access to the main A14 arterial road network as well as access to the local road networks in Stowmarket. The location was favourable as it provided appropriate efficiency for the emergency services to manoeuvre around Stowmarket and respond to any emergencies.

There were multiple sources of funding for the project, which included: The Department Communities and Local Government, Mid Suffolk District Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), The Police and Crime Commissioner and Suffolk County Council.

Going Green

There was a number of key carbon efficient features on the project such as Photovoltaic (PV) panels, an air source heat pump system and 14 electric vehicle charging points.

The project has been designed using sustainable materials including the use of recycled stone, which was used for hard standing areas around the compound. Throughout the scheme, soil had not been exported from site or imported onto site which helped reduce the embodied carbon on the project by negating the transportation of soil.

We reduced water usage on the project by having water-less urinals, percussion taps and dual flush systems in our site cabins.

200k saving by re-imagining roofing insulation

The Morgan Sindall ethos regards close collaboration with our supply chain partners which helps devise beneficial outcomes for our client. We looked at ways to reduce the cost on the project and as part of a Value Engineering exercise, we worked closely with one of our subcontractors, S&G Industrial Roofing. We re-designed the roof which included many different layers such as ply deck and insulation. However, after collaborating with our subcontractors we proposed a Composite Kingspan insulation panels as an alternative, which, satisfied the planners on the project for aesthetics and returned a 200k saving for the client.

Official Opening Ceremony

Following the completion of the project, to commemorate the completion of the new facility, Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, the Chief Constable, the county’s Chief Fire Officer, councillors from Suffolk County Council and Mid Suffolk District Council, Stowmarket’s Mayor, attended the official opening ceremony along with members from the Morgan Sindall and Concertus project team.

This brand-new joint Police and Fire Station in Stowmarket brings to a conclusion one of the largest joint blue light estates programme in the country. This is a stellar achievement by everyone involved and shows what the power of collaboration can achieve when we all work towards a common objective. The whole project is great news for Suffolk as it provides excellent value for money for the hard-pressed taxpayer. The new station is ideally placed to help police the busy A14 expressway which directly links the nation’s largest container port to the rest of the country which continues to be a driver for economic growth, especially with the advent of Freeport East"

Tim Passmore - Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner

“The state-of-the-art building cements Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service’s commitment to providing the best possible equipment and facilities for our staff to enable them to carry out their lifesaving work and maintain public safety efficiently and effectively.

Councillor Andrew Reid, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Public Protection