Work begins at Liberton on Edinburgh's first new fire station for 30 years
‘This represents a significant investment to improve service delivery and firefighter safety’ - SFRS Area Commander David Dourley
Work has begun to demolish and replace Edinburgh's Liberton community fire station.
The new-build station will be the first in the Capital for more than 30 years and the first in Scotland since the creation of the merged Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) in 2013.
During the construction, the station's fire engine and crew will move to a nearby temporary facility at Alnwickhill Road in order to maintain emergency cover for the area, with support provided from neighbouring stations, including Newcraighall community fire station.
Liberton fire station, which was built using potentially dangerous RAAC concrete, is being rebuilt on the current site at Kirkbrae.
And the new two-storey station will have upgraded facilities, including decontamination provision.
The rebuild is expected to take between 15 and 18 months to complete.
The local community has been told to expect an increase in fire engine movements in and around the Alnwickhill Road area.
The SFRS said the Liberton station was in a key strategic location for responding to emergencies across Edinburgh and the east of Scotland, as highlighted by detailed analysis and simulation modelling undertaken as part of the recent nationwide review of fire stations.
The new station will include upgraded welfare and decontamination facilities, specific areas for managing contaminated fire kit, and an improved community space.
Area Commander David Dourley, the senior SFRS officer for Edinburgh, said: “This is an exciting project and represents a significant investment to improve service delivery and firefighter safety. This will be the first new build station in Edinburgh in more than 30 years directly replacing the former station that has faithfully served our staff and the community for 50 years.
“The new station will be modern and fit for purpose and has been designed to meet operational demand and the growing needs of our communities. Once complete, operational efficiency, emergency response and engagement capabilities will be bolstered across Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.”
A new fire station is also planned for Dalkeith, where the existing building also contains RAAC concrete. It was judged not viable to rebuild on the same site, so the new Dalkeith station, with a price tag of £11m, will be built on a new site, near Sheriffhall South, providing good access into Edinburgh along the City Bypass and also to Midlothian and East Lothian.
And Musselburgh fire station is to close, with a new station built at Tranent.
The Scotland-wide SFRS review is to mean changes to around 30 fire stations across the country.
Plans to close Edinburgh’s Marionville fire station and relocate its fire engine and crew to Newcraighall were dropped following a campaign by residents, politicians and the Fire Brigades Union. But the future of the station remains uncertain while fire chiefs carry out "further detailed analysis and modelling of potential station locations in the Edinburgh area".