WORK on Chester's new £5m fire station is back on track with the development expected to be completed on time.

Construction had been hampered by delays earlier this year due to the coronavirus outbreak.

However, the measures put in place by the contractors – along with strategic alterations to the project – has resulted in significant progress being made by the construction team at ISG.

The development, which is on the site of the former station, is now on track to be completed by January 2021.

The old station on St Anne Street, built in 1971, was knocked down at the start of the year to make way for the new state-of-the-art replacement.

Station manager David Rutter said: "COVID-19 presented the project with a number of challenges which we expected would cause some delays to the station being completed.

"However the contractors were quick to put all the necessary steps in place to make sure any delays the project were facing were quickly caught up and is back on track for the original completion date.

"I want to reassure the public that the project has not, and will not, compromise our response to emergencies as a temporary fire station has been built on site.

"It’s really important for us to be able to give our crews a working environment that they deserve. And once built, I think it’s something that not only the firefighters will be really proud of, but the city too."

Tim Harvey, regional director for ISG, added: "It is through full stakeholder collaboration that we remain on track despite the challenges faced due to COVID-19.

"It is through their understanding and the fast reaction from our supply chain partners that has enabled us to adapt and work with agility to deliver this incredible state-of-the-art station that both staff and the wider community will benefit from.

"We are proud to be working with Cheshire Fire and Rescue once again and to equip our fire services with the latest facilities that enable them to act quickly and saves lives in times of emergency."

The external brickwork on the new building is now complete, with smart features in keeping with the feel of the city.

All internal walls are all in place and the rooms are taking shape with the different areas identifiable.

The new drill tower is ready and the training building is all but complete, offering teams a realistic and challenging environment in which to hone their skills.

The new station will have modern training facilities such as a new training tower, breathing apparatus building and road traffic collision training area.

There will also be a better working environment for all staff and more space and improved facilities for community engagement.

It will be more cost-effective to run and maintain, environmentally friendly and have improved accessibility.

The new community station will give firefighters in the city a more comfortable working environment that is better suited to the practical needs of a modern fire service.

It’s anticipated that the new community fire station will be fully operational in early 2021.