Summerfield Press Releases

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March 2006

Work has started on the brand new Regional Control Centre for the Fire and Rescue Service on Taunton's Blackbrook Business Park.

The centre will be part of a new national network of nine, which will replace the 46 local fire service control rooms across the country in a scheme costing £ban.

The Taunton centre will co-ordinate fire and rescue services for the entire West Country.

Blackbrook Business Park was chosen taking into account factors such as accessibility, demographics, and vulnerability to threats such as flooding and suitability for development.

Detailed plans for the new building were approved by Taunton Deane planners in December, after an application by Summerfield Developments of Taunton. The new regional HQ will replace the existing Somerset fire control centre at Hestercombe as well as those in other counties. It will provide 120 jobs in the three storey, 30,000 sq ft building.

Fire Minister Jim Fitzpatrick MP said when the plans were announced: "While existing control centres do a good job, they are not designed to deal in a co-ordinated way with major regional or national incidents - they need improvement and investment."

The site has been receiving 1000 tonnes a day of hardcore in preparation for the foundation work which have now begun.

Directors of developers Summerfield met staff from builders Midas on the site to mark the start of work. The centre should become operational in spring 2007. Pictured are Nick Hill, senior project manager for Midas Projects, Richard Lloyd, Chief Executive and Chairman of Summerfield Developments, Nigel Hounslow and Bob Lukins, both Divisional Directors for Summerfield, Tom Flanagan and Chris Stone, both of Midas.

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