PLANS for a new £37million centralised training facility for firefighters in St Asaph have moved a step closer.

Members of the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority “overwhelmingly” approved in principle a business plan for the development, at St Asaph Business Park, during a meeting on October 21.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service currently operates several training facilities, including in Dolgellau, Rhyl, Wrexham, and Deeside.

But these sites are described as now presenting “significant operational challenges due to their age, condition, and geographic dispersion”.

Assistant chief fire officer Justin Evans compiled a report on the proposed new training centre to present the authority.

Extracts from his report read: “The existing facilities lack the necessary infrastructure to support modern training requirements, which has led to operational inefficiencies and limitations in the training experience provided to personnel. 

“Investment is necessary to ensure safety and effectiveness of personnel in responding to emergencies, as well as the need to comply with increasing environmental regulations and sustainability goals.”

Key features of the proposed new St Asaph facility include:

  • A training hub with classrooms, an incident command centre, and welfare facilities.
  • A breathing apparatus school with decontamination facilities and provision of facilities to meet the needs of our evolving and diverse workforce.
  • Realistic fire training props, including carbonaceous and cold smoke facilities that align with proposed changes to firefighting tactics.
  • Road traffic collision training areas.
  • The ability to support multi-agency training exercises, improving joint response capabilities.

There will also be two terraced houses built on the site, a five-storey “fire house”, and a section of dual carriageway for road traffic collision training.

Mr Evans added in his report that the proposed works:

  • Will fit on the site.
  • Can be constructed to a standard of zero carbon for regulated energy.
  • Can be adequately drained, serviced and accessed.
  • Can be built at reasonable cost given the ground conditions identified.

The anticipated completion date for the project is July 2028.

Cllr Dylan Rees, chairing last week’s meeting, said: “The current situation is just not sustainable.

“The current training facilities are not fit for purpose, and if we are going to meet the requirement of training going forward, then we have to do something.”

Sources of funding for the project has yet to be finalised.

Support is being from Welsh Government, but all of North Wales’ county councils are expected to make contributions.