Construction Of New £14m Fire Training Centre To Begin In 2027

Work on a new £14 million firefighter training centre in the Harborough district is set to begin early next year.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) has planning permission for the state-of-the-art facility on the outskirts of Billesdon, on land formerly used as a highways depot on Gaulby Road.

The service has now completed the purchase of the site from Leicestershire County Council and signed a Section 106 agreement covering contributions towards local infrastructure.

How the new training centre will look

LFRS says it is now preparing to go out to tender, with preliminary work, including site clearance, expected to begin early in 2027.

The training centre will feature advanced operational zones, a multi-storey fire behaviour unit and a mock motorway section, as well as modern welfare, lecture and garaging facilities.

It will replace the service’s existing training premises, which have been described as no longer fit for purpose.

The new facility will go up on the former council depot site

Billesdon’s on-call fire crew will also relocate to the new site and Chief Fire Officer Callum Faint said the £14 million facility would ensure firefighters are prepared for a wide range of fire and rescue scenarios, both now and in the future.

The service says the project reflects its commitment to preventing incidents, limiting their impact and responding effectively when needed.