RBFRS Announces The New Theale Community Fire Station Is Taking Shape With Installation Of Steel Superstructure

Contractors working on the build of Theale Community Fire Station have made good progress during recent months, with the new station starting to take shape. The installation of the steel superstructure took place at the end of September 2020, following extensive work to prepare the station’s foundations.

Plans to build Theale Community Fire Station got underway in January 2020. It is the latest in a series of investments by the Fire Authority, following the refurbishment of the Hungerford Community Fire Station and the rebuild of the Crowthorne Community Fire Station.

Theale Community Fire Station

Councillor Colin Dudley, Chairman of Royal Berkshire Fire Authority and Councillor Angus Ross, Lead Member for Strategic Assets on the Fire Authority recently visited the site, while following strict COVID-19 protocols, to observe the progress made, since plans were approved.

Councillor Colin Dudley, said “I’m delighted with the progress made on site at Theale Community Fire Station and I am confident that it will be a fantastic investment that the local community will be proud of, once it is complete.”

Fit-for-purpose community fire station

What we’re starting to see is the beginning of a modern, fit-for-purpose community fire station"

He adds, “What we’re starting to see is the beginning of a modern, fit-for-purpose community fire station that will deliver on our strategic commitment to ensure that our fire stations, people and resources are placed at the heart of local communities.”

The site for the new station was identified during a search to optimize the locations of RBFRS’ fire stations with the new location forming part of a public consultation completed in April 2017. Emergency vehicles will be closer to the local communities of Calcot, Thatcham and Theale, as well as benefitting from improved access to the wider county via the M4 and A4 corridors.

Modern operational facilities for emergency services

Councillor, Angus Ross, said “Careful planning has ensured that once completed, the new station will provide 'state-of-the-art' modern operational facilities for emergency services, as well as a flexible, fully accessible meeting space for local residents and community groups to use. Thank you to the contractors Knights Brown for all their efforts so far. I look forward to seeing further progress on site over the coming months.”

Below is the summary of the work completed so far on the Theale Community Fire Station:

• The steel superstructure was installed at the site
• An estimated 16,000 tons of excess earth was removed from the site to create the platform that the station will be built on
• The station’s foundations were formed using high-strength concrete
• Drainage works and a storage system for rainwater and surface water were installed