Charity 'thrilled' as work at fire station begins

1 hour ago

Jaimielee Rendallin Suffolk

Red Gables Three men stand in front of an old fire station. They are looking down at a white sheet of paper, which appears to be a plan.Two of them are wearing yellow hi-vis jackets. The third man is wearing an orange hi-vis jacket. The men are all wearing white hard hats.

Work has started to transform a former Suffolk fire station into a community hub.

The site, on Lockington Road, Stowmarket, has been vacant since March 2023. Planning permission to convert it was granted in 2025.

Plans include a new community space, alongside accessible rooms and modern facilities.

Colin Lay, from the charity Red Gables, which is carrying out the scheme, said: "We are thrilled to see work starting on site. Demand for accessible space from local charities and voluntary groups has grown significantly, and this project will allow us to welcome even more organisations under our wing."

Red Gables secured funding of £320,000 towards re-purposing the building.

The charity said £270,000 came from Mid Suffolk District Council and £30,000 from Stowmarket Town Council's Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy, a portion of developer contributions passed down to the town council to fund local infrastructure and community projects.

Red Gables made a £20,000 contribution from its reserves.

Red Gables Five men stand in a row next to an old fire station. Four of them are wearing yellow hi-vis jackets. The man standing in the middle is wearing an orange hi-vis jacket. He is also holding a white helmet and some papers. — The fire station on Lockington Road has been vacant since March 2023

Andrew Stringer, a Mid Suffolk councillor with a responsibility for planning and infrastructure, said: "This kind of project is precisely what developer contributions are for, allowing communities to thrive by employing local builders.

"This is not just an investment in Stowmarket; it will help boost our local economy," added Stringer, a Green councillor.

Mark Barber, Suffolk County Council member for Stowmarket East said: "Red Gables has supported Stowmarket's community for many years, and transforming the old fire station will create further accessible capacity for charitable causes.

"This will be a fantastic addition for the benefit of Stowmarket's residents and is testament to the hard work of everyone at Red Gables," added Barber, a Reform UK councillor.