Demolition of Reading fire station to make way for homes

Demolition works are underway at The Dee Road fire station in Tilehurst which has been closed since 2021.

Photos from a neighbour show rubble where many of the buildings stood proudly up to summer, with works getting underway over the past month.

Photos from resident Mirela Likoka show the site being sealed off and demolition vehicles in place on a misty morning.

The site of the old Dee Road fire station in Tilehurst has been sealed off while demolition takes place. Credit: Mirela Likoka

The work is taking place so that developer Bellway Homes can build a total of 54 homes on the site.

The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service sold the site to the housebuilding company in May 2022.

A spokesperson for the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “The sale of the Dee Road site was completed in 2022/23 and generated £6.1 million.

“The capital receipt will be used to fund improvements to fire stations and the provision of a new training facility.”

The beginning of demolition work was mentioned by councillor Jeff Brooks (Liberal Democrats, Thatcham West) the chair of the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority during the chairman’s announcements at a fire authority management committee meeting on Monday, December 4.

Bellway Homes is in the process of building a mixed development of houses and flats.

A CGI of the plan to replace Dee Road Fire Station with 54 homes. Credit: Dha Architecture

Once demolition is complete, it will build  23 three-bedroom and eight four-bedroom houses.

The rest of the development will be made up of 13 one-bed, seven two-bed and three three-bed flats.

The project (planning reference 221130) was approved at a planning applications committee meeting on May 31, with a legal agreement between the council and Bellway Homes being signed in September.

Mrs Likoka, who took the photos, runs the Greece Foodies shack with her husband Alex Konomi next to the council offices in Bridge Street.