Redbridge Fire Station, originally constructed in the 1960s, is undergoing a comprehensive refurbishment to modernise facilities and improve operational efficiency for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS).
Challenge
Refurbishing a 60-year-old facility
Redbridge Fire Station is a 1960s-built facility undergoing a comprehensive refurbishment to modernise operational spaces and improve firefighter welfare. The project forms part of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service’s wider estate improvement strategy, ensuring the station remains fit for purpose while continuing to serve the local community.
A key consideration throughout is to maintain full operational capability. The station is to remain live during construction, requiring phased works and careful coordination to ensure uninterrupted emergency response.
Solution
The existing structure comprises traditional loadbearing masonry cavity walls with 150mm precast concrete (Bison) floors and roof slabs. Where masonry walls were removed, new structural steel beams were introduced to safely redistribute loads and maintain structural integrity. Careful analysis of load paths and deflection limits ensured compatibility between new steelwork and the retained concrete floor and roof slabs.
Below ground, foundation design was informed by site investigation data identifying River Terrace Deposits with an allowable bearing capacity of 400kN/m². Reinforced concrete pad and strip foundations were introduced to support new structural elements, while maintaining compatibility with the existing ground-bearing slab construction.
Alongside the structural alterations, Calcinotto developed the detailed civil engineering design, including modifications to foul and surface water drainage, integration of below-ground services with new foundations, and external hardstanding adjustments.
- Categories Bluelight, Restoration
