We moved to our new Newhaven Community Fire Station in 2016 and the old Fort Road building has been used for a range of purposes since then.
Planning permission was granted to re-purpose the redundant Fire Station in Fort Road, Newhaven to a new central Engineering Workshop. Creating a hub for the ESFRS Engineering team across the country, plus offering resilience to the Blue Light partners.
You can find out more about the planning permission here.
Plans can be found here: Civica Town - Planning Documents
Following Planning Approval and a robust tender evaluation of submitted bids, we are pleased to confirm Hutton Construction Ltd has been selected to undertake the works, on which works commenced 13th January 2025.
The project compromises of partial demolition to the former fire station and workshops, with construction of new larger, modernised engineering workshops and full refurbishment to the offices and stores. Facilities will include renewable energy, new mechanical & electrical installations throughout the buildings office spaces, training room, kitchen and toilets. Outside the grounds will be cleared and cleaned, new drainage installed along with lighting, landscaping and parking for servicing of vehicles and staff.
Contractors plan to be on site for 8:00am to 5:00pm, Mondays to Fridays and 8:00am – 1:00pm Saturdays with no works on Sundays.
We understand that construction can sometimes bring challenges, and we are committed to minimising any inconvenience. Should you have any immediate questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service Estates Team via email at estates@esfrs.org, or Hutton Construction Ltd site manager Michael Marchant can be contacted on telephone number: 07971138031.
Please see below some frequently asked questions on this development:
What is the Proposed Development?
The proposed development is for the change of use of the former fire station to an emergency services vehicle maintenance workshop. The proposal includes the replacement of the appliance bay and alterations to the existing buildings and associated hard and soft landscaping.
What is the purpose of this development?
The developed site will provide a workshop facility for ESFRS maintain their fire appliances and vehicles. The workshop will offer services to other emergency services and their vehicles. The workshop will not be open to the public or private companies.
What will the noise levels be like when operational?
Noise and traffic have been assessed and are considered low impact, both in terms of traffic flow and daily working activity. Vehicle maintenance workshop will not generate a high level of traffic movement, is readily accessible via public transport and bicycle and provides sufficient levels of on-site parking. The workshop will utilise the existing Fort Road vehicular and pedestrian access so that no alteration to the highway is needed.
Whilst the site will not be used as an active fire station, the crew from Saxon House will have the ability to train there.
What are the normal working hours of this workshop?
The site will principally be used Monday-Friday during normal office hours.
What impact, if any, will there be on parking and transport?
As part of the Planning application, a Transport Assessment was undertaken, and the statement demonstrates that:
- The site is located within an accessible location, served by good accessibility to sustainable transport methods
- Vehicle and pedestrian access to the site will be retained via the existing vehicle and pedestrian access points from Fort Road
- The parking provision for cars, operational vehicles and bicycles is appropriate for the operation of the site and is based on the operational need of the site.
- Servicing and deliveries will be undertaken on site and swept path analysis has demonstrated that there is sufficient space for vehicles to manoeuvre on-site; and,
- the proposed development will not result in an increase in traffic movement on the local highway network in comparison with the past lawful use of the site and therefore will not result in any detrimental impact upon the local highway network.
How many ESFRS employees are anticipated to be stationed at the proposed workshop?
ESFRS anticipate that there will be 3 full-time employees working at the site with up to 6 employees stationed there on an ad hoc basis.
How is this development being funded?
This project is part of a wider collaborative investment through ESFRS Capital Investment budget and grant funding provided by the Government and represents the ongoing commitment from ESFRS to a presence in Newhaven.
How will ESFRS keep you updated on progress?
Updates will be posted on our website and Hutton Construction will be issuing regular updates via a newsletter to local residents.