Cheshire fire stations approved

Cheshire West & Chester Council has granted planning permission for the construction of three fire stations in Cheshire.

Earlier this year the Cheshire Fire Authority approved a £13.8m capital project programme to build the three new fire stations in Lymm, Penketh and Mollington. All sites are located in the green belt.

The Cheshire Fire & Rescue service was advised by planners at Barton Willmore.

In Mollington, planning officers had recommended approval for the scheme, and a report before the CWAC strategic planning committee stated that: "the community benefits of improved emergency coverage are, in this case, considered to constitute very special circumstances that clearly outweigh the harm to the green belt that results from the development by reason of its inappropriateness."

Cllr Neil Sullivan, who was against the planning applications, questioned the response times for Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service in the Chester, Ellesmere Port and Neston areas.

He told strategic planning committee members: "I do not understand why the Fire Authority has not shown us the different response times from other non-green belt sites so we can judge whether the time difference justifies the impact of the loss of the green belt."

Richard Ost, assistant chief fire officer, said: "The Fire Authority has no plans to close Chester and Ellesmere Port Fire Stations as part of the proposal.

"It is about building new fire stations across Cheshire to improve our emergency response to the community we serve."

TACP Architects advised on Lymm and Chester and David Trowler Associates Architects advised on Penketh.

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UPDATE: Details on wider Cheshire Fire & Rescue plans. Barton Willmore advised on the schemes.

By Ed

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