A NEW fire station for the town has moved a step closer after Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service and Wychavon District Council exchanged contracts on the proposed site.
The ambitious £10million redevelopment scheme, which will also see a new Waitrose built on the site of the old station, will begin in earnest within months.
Wychavon District Council plans to develop the old station and the Old Brewery Car Park as a new Waitrose store, while the new fire station will be built next to Evesham Leisure Centre off Abbey Road.
The council is investing a total of £10million into the redevelopment project including contributing £3million towards building the new fire station.
Any additional costs for the project will come from the service’s own funds.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer John Hodges said: “This is excellent news for the Fire Service, Wychavon District Council and, most importantly, the residents of Evesham.
“We are delighted we can support Wychavon District Council’s attempts to boost the economic vitality of the town and increase prosperity and meanwhile the service will get a brand new fire station and training facility.
“The current station is now more than 50 years old and is likely to require significant maintenance in future years.
“This is therefore an opportunity to ensure Evesham has an up-to-date station that will meet the needs of modern firefighting for many years to come,” he added.
Coun Lynne Duffy, portfolio holder for resources on Wychavon District Council, said: “This is the game changer Evesham needs in terms of providing a stimulus to revitalise the High Street.
“For me this is what local government should be doing; being brave to achieve economic benefits for our area and where possible financial return for our taxpayers
“It delivers a return for the taxpayer, Evesham gets a purpose built, modern fire station and the chance to regenerate itself.
“It really is a win-win situation,” she added.
