£700,000 fire station planned for Dales

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is seeking planning permission for the new station and drill tower on a former council yard in Station Road in Threshfield.

The existing fire station is housed in a number of sheds and cabins on the site, leased from North Yorkshire County Council. It is dilapidated and does not provide the necessary facilities for a modern, professional service.

During construction, a temporary facility would be provided elsewhere.

A design and access statement accompanying the application said: “The current station does not provide the necessary accommodation for a modern retained fire station and was always intended as a short-term fix.

“Grassington is one of the authority’s more remote retained stations, in that it has a low incident rate, but is a long way from any support. The station currently covers a substantial area to the west of the county on the doorstep of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. This means that the station covers an area heavily populated with tourists during the summer.”

Grassington fire service, launched 25 years ago, serves 5,200 people and typically responds to between 60 and 70 calls a year.

A brigade spokesman said: “We have a planning application in to redevelop the site. If permission is granted then we would hope to start work early in the new year with completion due to take place towards autumn.”

According to the design and access statement, the station could bring even wider benefits to the area as a catalyst for further regeneration and economic development. The fire station would be a one-storey structure and built in stone. The application will be decided by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.