New Training Tower – Pill Fire Station

Avon Fire Authority are seeking to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced main Contractor to deliver a new training tower at Pill Fire station, Westward Drive, Pill, BS20 OJS.

The original tower was demolished in 2020. The structure has been designed as an unclad braced steel frame. Stability has been provided by vertical bracing in each orthogonal direction. The bracing is not full height at every level and is under the balustrade level to maintain access to each level for drills, with the column acting in bending to maintain stability to the end face. Vertical loads will be transferred to the columns via the beams acting in bending and shear with the structure supported at ground level by the existing piled base with new piles to the SWFH roof.

The new training tower has been designed to provide a wider range of training possibilities, with an added training benefit of a safe work from height roof. The new tower will have 4 levels to allow ladder drills to be conducted. To the side of the main tower will be a small, pitched roof element to enhance the training options available. Each level will have high level CHS sections to allow for rigging of rope access and safety lines. The ground floor will be fully enclosed to act as a store for the station and to provide a further training space.

The site is located to the rear of the existing fire station at Pill. During all phases of the works the station is to remain operational and there can be no storage of materials to the front of the station that would restrict access to the engine house. A construction management plan and programme will need to be submitted for review and acceptance by AFRS prior to commencement of works on site.

We would envisage the scheme being run under one single contract (JCT Minor Works) with one main contractor, however we would not object to you approaching sub-contractors directly if required to complete the works outlined.

The estimated value is in the region of £100,000 - £150,000 Additional information: AF&RS encourages suppliers, including Local SME’s with the appropriate capability and capacity to participate in the Tender for these services.