Approval Expected for £7.6m Fire Service Facility

Plans for a state-of-the-art training complex for the Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service are on the verge of approval. The proposals, submitted to Harborough District Council, aim to transform the site of a former county highways depot on Gaulby Road in Billesdon.

The new 7.6 million facility is expected to feature a multi-storey fire behaviour training unit, an animal rescue section, and a simulated motorway for realistic emergency exercises. According to Chief Fire Officer Callum Faint, the centre will equip the service to handle a wide range of dynamic fire and rescue situations.

Additional amenities will include lecture rooms, welfare areas, and garage facilities to support crew operations. The project also plans to relocate the current Billesdon Station, originally built in 1962, to the upgraded site.

A council report emphasized that having modern training facilities for the fire service is essential and contributes directly to public safety.

Author: Sophia Brooks