Event celebrates historic Brighton fire station’s new lease of life

The completion of a comprehensive refurbishment by Morgan Sindall Construction at Brighton’s historic Preston Circus Community Fire Station has been celebrated with a re-opening event.

To commemorate the transformative milestone, representatives from Morgan Sindall’s Southern Home Counties business, current and former employees of East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, Brighton and Hove County Council, SCAPE, and members of the public gathered at the site on 3rd February to learn about the project and tour the revitalised facility.

Morgan Sindall was appointed to the refurbishment by East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, to restore the station’s facilities for the safe, effective use by its firefighters. A key factor in the success of the project has been its procurement via the SCAPE framework. With a free feasibility study and one of the fastest routes to market, this approach enabled early contractor engagement and high levels of collaboration from the outset.

The property, built in 1938, is much loved by the local community and fire crew for its historic features and long legacy of serving the people of Brighton. As part of the site’s transformation, the Morgan Sindall team were committed to retaining the building’s character through considerate, preservative measures.

The restoration involved a complete strip out of prior MEP services and installing new ones, bringing the station up to modern regulations and compliance, as well as the fitting of a new kitchen, decontamination space, gym, community area, 15 sleeping pods, and a roof replacement.

The team took a holistic approach to crafting the brand-new, highly functional gym, creating space to exercise through yoga and stretching, as well as weights and other machines to cater for all ages and abilities. The provision of a community hub as part of the refurbishment will continue a legacy of social benefit long after the refurbishment is completed.

The project included enhancing the site’s decontamination facilities, to reduce the risk from hazardous materials transferred onto firefighters’ clothing and equipment during the course of their work. Through thoughtful design, the decontamination space is easily accessible to returning firefighters and distanced from other facilities. Previously, the station did not have an onsite decontamination space.

To enhance the energy efficiency at Preston Circus Community Fire Station, the new MEP system includes air conditioning, air pumps, gas boilers for hot water, an upgraded UKPN supply, and a specialist blue light turnout system that combines the emergency telephone and emergency power off into one switch. This fully comprehensive handling system boosts the efficiency and sustainability of the station’s air handling, significantly improving the green credentials of this heritage site.

Due to the nature of working in an 80-year-old building, the tier one contractor had to be innovative in its approach. For example, following the strip out phase the team did not know what they would find within the building, so took extra safety precautions in case of hazardous materials, such as asbestos.

As well as presenting challenges, the historic nature of the building provided opportunities to protect features and maintain the fire station’s charm. One such example were the original brass radiator grills. When the old radiators were replaced with new, more effective ones, the team ensured the brass grills were re-fitted on top.

Throughout the 26-week project, the fire service vacated the building and decamped to nearby army barracks. This underlined the importance for the project team of strictly meeting all deadlines to ensure the fire crews could return to site and continue their important work as planned. This was achieved and the project delivered on time.

Morgan Sindall supported the local economy throughout the project by employing eight local labourers as well as engaging with nearby schools and colleges through events and work experience opportunities. Additionally, the team provided two full days volunteering at Brighton Mission Foodbank and donated 32 hampers.

In alignment with Morgan Sindall's commitment to supporting the next generation of construction professionals, the project employed 27-weeks’ worth of apprenticeship students and 12 weeks’ worth of work placement students who are considering a career in construction.

Guy Hannell, Area Director for Morgan Sindall in the Southern Home Counties, said:

It’s been a delight to bring this historic building back to life. Between preserving the uniqueness of the fire station, bringing an aging facility up to a modern standard and reacting to unknown unknowns during the work, the project has required a lot of innovation, creativity and care. But it feels great to know that every challenge was resolved through collaboration between our expert team, East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service and a talented supply chain.

To see the reaction from the fire crew has just filled us with pride. We gave them fortnightly site tours so they could see how the site was progressing, but that end reaction to our 26 weeks of hard work was staggering. It means a lot to know that the crew are happy with the space, somewhere they can relax, exercise, and fulfil their vital day-to-day operations.”

Tom Walby, Group Manager at Preston Circus Community Fire Station, said:

The refurbishment was needed because this isn’t like an office where you arrive at 9am and leave at 5pm, the staff are here 24/7, 365 days a year. The timing of shifts means you need facilities to cook properly and a key part of our operational preparedness is staying fit and healthy, so it’s important we have suitable gym facilities. The refurbishment was also vital to put in place a robust decontamination strategy.”

Vinny O’Neill, Station Manager at Preston Circus Community Fire Station, said:

Preston Circus has been around a lot longer than all of us and it carries with it that heritage. Through the working groups and consultations during the planning stages and the build we discussed the importance of keeping this history. Coming back in and having some of the original features of Preston Circus maintained and improved, such as the original wood features, the parquet flooring and other little things, has been incredibly important. Although it’s a modern, clean space with a new layout, it still maintains the character of Preston Circus.”

ENDS

For more information, please contact Gabriella Elia at Influential, [email protected]