Wakefield's fire station could be demolished and rebuilt

Wakefield's 55-year-old fire station is no longer fit for purpose, according to fire chiefs who have submitted plans to bulldoze the site and build a new, smaller hub.

If approved by Wakefield Council planners, the Brunswick Road site will then be rebuilt with a more modern structure on the building’s old footprint.

This includes creating a new training yard and tower, and a refurbishment of the existing youth intervention building.

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Submitted just a few days ago, a statement attached to the plans reads: “The current fire station and outbuildings was built in 1963 and no longer meets the operational requirements of a modern-day fire service.

“During the initial design stages and following extensive consultations, it was concluded that to achieve the most beneficial, efficient and sustainable outcome the existing fire station would need be demolished and a new fire station, constructed.

“The existing site is oversized for the current needs.

“The new fire station building will be significantly smaller than the existing but will still provide all of the necessary accommodation to continue operations from the site.”

But with the new building to be more than 1,000 sq m smaller than the existing station, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is quick to point out that it will not mean front-line job losses.

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It reads: “The number of staff to be employed will remain the same.

“The intentions of the proposed development is purely to provide a better quality and more suited fire station and associated buildings.”

The plans show the new building to have six bedrooms, a gym, kitchen, rest room and wash and dry rooms.

The fire service has hinted that the residual land left over by building a smaller station could be offered or sold off to a third party.

Meanwhile, the brick training tower will be replaced by a steel-framed structure to bring it in line with more modern-day training facilities.