Mayor of Greater Manchester opens new fire station with Robertson

Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Craig officially opened the station at a ceremony on Tuesday 6 October, attended by firefighters, members of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the local community, Robertson and project partners.

The development included the demolition of the existing station to make way for a modern, two-storey facility, featuring a revitalised appliance bay, gym, state-of-the-art training tower, improved landscaping, and upgraded parking facilities.

These facilities are expected to improve the service’s response and resilience, supporting firefighters in serving the community.

The new station is also more environmentally friendly, contributing to Greater Manchester’s ambitions to be carbon neutral by 2038. This includes a green roof to regulate temperature and reduce rainwater run-off, solar panels and air source heat pumps to improve energy efficiency, and energy-efficient lighting to lower its carbon footprint. Electric vehicle charging points further support low-emission travel for staff and visitors.

The North Manchester station is the second of three new stations that have been delivered as part of a £65m investment in GMFRS’s estate. 

Robertson also completed Blackley Community Fire Station, which opened in December 2025, and is working closely with GMFRS in the planning stages of two new stations at Heywood in Rochdale and Whitehill in Stockport.

Paul Coyle, Regional Managing Director, Robertson Construction North West, said: “It was incredibly rewarding to join the official opening at Whitefield, the second new station we have delivered following Blackley and to see both facilities now playing an important role in supporting firefighters and the communities they serve.

“Throughout both projects, we helped generate a positive local impact by employing 28 local people, providing 198 weeks of apprenticeships and prioritising local MSME spend. We look forward to building on this impact and continuing our partnership with GMFRS.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Craig said: “As Greater Manchester grows, it’s vital we continue backing our fire service with the modern facilities it needs to help keep our residents safe.

“This new station is an investment in Whitefield and the people who live here, as well as in the firefighters who work every day to keep our communities safe. It’s great to see the new station open and ready to serve the community for years to come.”

Dave Russel, Chief Fire Officer, GMFRS, said: “The strength of our Service is our people, and they need the right facilities to do their jobs well.

“This new station gives our crews at Whitefield a modern and practical place to work. It will support them as they continue to keep people safe and serve communities across Greater Manchester.

“I want to thank everyone who has helped to deliver the new station, and our Whitefield crews for their professionalism and patience while the work was completed. This is part of our long-term investment in our Service, our people and the communities we serve.”

Whitefield Community Fire Station was awarded to Robertson through the North West Construction Hub.

Robertson team with firefighters and the Mayor of Greater Manchester.