Calls to spare old fire station

Aldi is set to build a shop on the site of the old fire station on South Elmsall’s Barnsley Road, but recently announced that the store is unlikely to open until next year.

Now former leader of South Kirkby and Moorthorpe Town Council, Laurie Harrison, is hoping to drum up local support to have the station saved because of its architecture, despite planning permission already being granted for its demolition.

He said: “It delights me that it won’t be knocked down yet - it’s the best architectural building in the village, apart from the parish church.

“If this was in York, it wouldn’t happen. We have got precious little architecture as it is and this is a fantastic and impressive building. I support Aldi coming, but not knocking the building down. The building is big enough for Aldi, they could use the building instead of demolishing it.

“It’s not too late while it’s still standing, if people have a strong enough feeling they need to come forward.”

Built in the 1920s, the building has been vacant since the fire crews moved to their new home in South Kirkby.

The new store will create more than 40-jobs, but Aldi insists the land needs to be cleared.

A spokesman said: “The architectural merits of the building were explored as part of the planning application and a condition has been attached to the planning consent that requires architectural recording of the building prior to demolition.

“In this instance it was commercially not viable for Aldi to operate and keep the existing building.”