Fire crews relocate for station rebuild

Hereford Fire Station has been temporarily relocated as part of a scheme to build a new station.

The 18-month project at the site on St Owen Street site will see crews operating from a temporary base at Mortimer Trade Park.

There would be no disruption to emergency responses, the service said, adding they would remain fully operational.

Plans to replace the 1950s building on St Owen Street gained planning permission in April 2023.

Bosses said it was “no longer fit for purpose, uneconomic to operate and poor in its environmental performance”.

The new building, with a training tower and car parking, would have a broadly similar footprint, they said.

There were initially concerns about the move, related to the impact on neighbouring roads.

Herefordshire Council agreed to the relocation, however, with plans to use separate entrances and exits to the site deemed to be acceptable.

The authority's planning officer said on-call fire engines would exit westward via Perseverance Road onto the A49 Holmer Road, but would return via Mortimer Road to the south, which would “reduce the overall potential for conflicts”.

Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.