Blackley fire station to receive ‘major overhaul’ as part of £38m investment across Manchester

Blackley fire station is set for a multi-million pound redevelopment as part of investment across the Greater Manchester region.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) announced the plans to build a new fire station on the existing site to “make sure they are fit for the future”.

The proposal aims to provide ‘modern’ and ‘fit’ facilities that adhere to being environmentally friendly as part of Greater Manchester’s aim to be carbon neutral by 2038. The facilities will feature sustainable heating and lighting within the complex and offer rooms available to be used by the local community.

The plans of investment have come from the £38m Estates Strategy, which sets out vision to upgrading fire stations and facilities across the region.

Speaking on the investment, Chief Fire Officer Dave Russel said:

“We recognise that the pressures and the challenges we face across Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service are changing. We also recognise the responsibility we have, as a service embedded at the heart of our communities, to make sure that residents can have their say on our vision for adapting to these changes.

“These plans will see decades-old buildings replaced with state-of-the-art fire stations, enabling us to maintain the cover our crews provide while increasing the energy efficiency of our estate and cutting carbon emissions. This is about making sure that GMFRS is on the front foot and equipped with the tools and the facilities to carry on serving Greater Manchester.”

Local residents have been informed of the proposal via leaflets and members of the local community have been invited to a drop in consultation:

• Monday 6 March at Blackley fire station, Rochdale Rd, Manchester M9 7EQ, from 4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Speaking about the importance of community values,Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Kate Green said:

“We want to hear from people about their priorities for our fire service and the facilities at their disposal. Bev Hughes took the crucial step of initiating this investment in our local fire service, and as Deputy Mayor I’m pleased to carry on that work and ensure that firefighters have the best possible facilities and resources to get on with doing their jobs and protecting our communities.”