Hereford Fire Station demolished in readiness for £14m upgrade

THE demolition of Hereford Fire Station on St Owen’s Street is officially underway, as part of a major redevelopment project led by Speller Metcalfe, with Wye Valley Demolition appointed as subcontractor for the extensive clearance and site preparation.

The original station is being demolished to make way for a larger, state-of-the-art facility that will better serve Herefordshire’s emergency needs. The new station is part of a wider £14 million investment by the Hereford & Worcester Fire Authority aimed at upgrading fire services across the region.

New era: Hereford Fire Station is being taken down by Wye Valley Demolition's crack team

Wye Valley Demolition is responsible for supplying all labour, plant, and equipment necessary to carry out the complex works, which involve far more than simply knocking down walls. The project includes the removal and safe disposal of asbestos-containing materials, soft-stripping of first and second-fix internal elements, and the demolition of multiple structures. These include a three-storey building with a basement, a fire engine bay with offices above, a drill tower, garage, and several outbuildings.

“Neighbouring properties are live, built-up residential and commercial facilities, so it is another challenging job, but our team are experienced with such sites and the feedback we have been getting is favourable” - Terry Davies, Operations Director

Specialist techniques such as robotic brokk demolition and hand demolition are being used to carefully separate shared party walls, including sections adjacent to a solicitor’s office. Additionally, the demolition includes breaking out the basement while retaining perimeter and buttress walls, to allow for future construction on a stable platform.

“We have made a good start at Hereford Fire Station,” said Alastair Moulton, Managing Director and Commercial Director at Wye Valley Demolition. “The perimeter scaffolding is up and we are working closely with Speller Metcalfe, the principal contractor, to manage the works and cause as little disruption as possible.”

While demolition takes place, Herefordshire’s fire crews have been temporarily relocated to a facility on Mortimer Road to ensure no interruption to emergency services. The new fire station, expected to be completed within nine to twelve months, will be slightly larger and will accommodate district staff, as well as spaces for recruitment, prevention, and protection activities.

Close quarters: The Hereford Fire Station site highlights the Demolition team's expertise

Speller Metcalfe, who also recently delivered the new Redditch Fire Station, are overseeing the full redevelopment. The demolition phase is expected to last around 14 weeks, including ground remediation.

Operations Director Terry Davies emphasised the complexity of the site. He said: “Neighbouring properties are live, built-up residential and commercial facilities, so it is another challenging job, but our team are experienced with such sites and the feedback we have been getting is favourable.”

The new station will be a modern and efficient addition to Herefordshire’s public service infrastructure, aligning with other new builds across Worcestershire, and reflects an ongoing commitment to improve facilities for both firefighters and the communities they serve.