Opening day set for £5.5m fire station

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has spent 5.5m creating the new Dearne Community Fire Station in Manvers Way, Rotherham, which will house four fire engines and has replaced former stations in Mexborough and Brampton.

When plans for the new fire station were originally aired they were fiercely opposed by people in both Mexborough and Brampton, but the proposals were eventually approved by South Yorkshire Fire Authority, the service's ruling body.

It was argued that the change was necessary to allow firefighters to reach parts of Thurnscoe within their six-minute target time, and the new site on the Dearne Valley Parkway allows quick access to communities across the Dearne Valley.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service's chief fire officer, Mark Smitherman, said: "We are delighted with our new purpose-designed building here in Dearne. The facilities offer an excellent base for the firefighters who provide the community with a first-class emergency response service.

"It not only offers considerable operational benefits and community facilities but its environmental features will greatly increase the sustainability of this important building for decades to come."

As well as fire engines, the 3.5 acre fire station, which was built by North Midland Building Ltd, will also be home to a state-of-the-art training facility for the fire service's Technical Rescue Unit. There will also be a community room for local residents to use for meetings and events.

The chairman of the South Yorkshire Fire Authority, Jim Andrews, said: "This is a significant development for the people within the Dearne Valley.

"The new station will not only provide first-class facilities for the community, but give the fire service the means to meet our targets in emergency response times for this part of South Yorkshire.

"Providing our firefighters with the most modern facilities will ultimately facilitate a first-class service the public deserve."

North Midland Building's managing director, Mike Catlin, added: "With the facility offering services and use to the local community as well as fire protection, it is even more pleasing that local residents will also benefit from and enjoy the use of the development."

The leader of Rotherham Council, Roger Stone, is set to officially open the new fire station on Friday, October 1.