The long-awaited NIFRS training centre opens this week at Desertcreat, just outside Cookstown, following more than 20 years of delays and changes. The new Learning & Development College (LDC) is Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service’s most ambitious and expensive project to date.
Planning for a training facility at Desertcreat began in 2004 with proposals for a joint police, fire, and prison service college. However, that vision faced numerous setbacks, including funding shortfalls, spiraling costs, and planning challenges.
The original plan, launched by the Policing Board, was to build an £80 million facility. But by 2005, projected costs had soared, and the project stalled. A new funding plan in 2007 aimed to unite all three emergency services on the site, but in 2014 a steering group advised against continuing the joint project.
By then, Northern Ireland had already lost £53 million in withdrawn UK Treasury funds, and in 2015, the scheme was officially scrapped.
In its place, NIFRS developed a revised proposal for a standalone training complex. Planning permission was granted in 2021 for the £42 million fire service-only facility. Now, the NIFRS training centre opens as a purpose-built campus with a modern design and cutting-edge equipment.
The campus includes a flood water rescue site, a simulated emergency call-out village, a barn and slurry pit for agricultural training, a tactical firefighting unit, and a training warehouse featuring a local shop and fire station.
NIFRS leaders said the site provides a safe and controlled setting to prepare firefighters for real emergencies. The new facilities allow for highly realistic, repeatable training, which they describe as a “revolution” in fire service preparation.
The training centre also includes sustainable features and high-spec technology to enhance both practical and theoretical learning.
While the police and prison services were originally part of the plans, they received alternative funding. PSNI upgraded its east Belfast training centre with £20 million in public funds, while the prison service improved training at Maghaberry and Magilligan.
The Desertcreat facility now stands as the largest capital investment in the history of the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service. With the NIFRS training centre open, fire crews across Northern Ireland will gain access to world-class instruction that reflects the complexities of modern emergencies.
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