Hereford Fire & Rescue Service and the West Mercia Police were looking to combine resources by bringing their services together within one central headquarters in the city centre. etc Design Ltd were appointed together with Cushman Wakefield and WSP Parsons Brinkerhoff to develop concept proposals for this building. A vacant site was located adjacent to the Hereford FC stadium, which had a few challenges; the site was liable to flooding and had been identified as an area for a new link road which would cut through its centre. In addition to these issues, any development on the site was required to respond to a rich local context and Hereford Councils Design Framework for the Edgar Street Grid, which includes key building precedents, a conservation area and listed buildings. Consultation with both the Hereford Fire & Rescue Service and the West Mercia Police enabled a good understanding of where resources could be shared. The site and building layout were designed to provide the right mix of accessibility for the public and security for the building users, creating both a public space as part of the Edgar Street frontage and clearly defined public and private spaces within the envelope of the combined headquarters. In addition, the proposed building design provides a key visual landmark for what is seen as an important gateway into the city of Hereford. etc Design Ltd were appointed to provide conceptual site and floor layout plans, together with 3D visualisations, culminating in the submission of an outline planning application. The proposed scheme was noticed and invited to be submitted for a World Architecture News Award.