Plans to build a state-of-the-art tri-station have been approved that will see one of the first stations of its kind built in Tyne and Wear.
South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee recently approved the application for the Tri Station in Hebburn.
The committee met at South Shields Town Hall and gave the green light for the site between Campbell Park Road and Marine Drive.
It is set to be the first station of its kind in the country to be completely carbon neutral and will provide a major new hub for emergency services.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service are leading on the project but will be joined at the station by Northumbria Police and the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS).
The new community hub will replace the former Hebburn Community Fire Station that proudly served the local area from its base off Victoria Road West.
Chief Fire Officer, Chris Lowther said: ‘This is an important milestone for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service as the Hebburn Tri Station represents our continued commitment to improving our services and our promise to keeping the people of the region safe from harm.
‘It’s also a proud moment for the blue-light community as the new state-of-the-art facility will enable Fire, Police and Ambulance services to operate, associate and congregate under the one roof.
‘The new Capital funded hub promises to have residents and businesses at the heart of the building.
‘You can add the environment to that list as Hebburn Tri Station is the first station of its kind in the entire country to be completely carbon neutral.
‘These are exciting times for the Service and we can’t wait to see the doors opening in the near future.’
Chief Superintendent Barrie Joisce, of Northumbria Police, said: ‘This is brilliant news and a significant step forward as we continue to improve our response to the public and build on collaboration with blue light partners in the region.
‘This project is another great example of partnership working and will allow us to strengthen our working relationships under one roof – I look forward to seeing the plans come together in due course.’
Stephen Segasby, Chief Operating Officer at NEAS, said: ‘We now share a number of stations with our police and fire colleagues across the North East, which has proven incredibly successful.
‘We’re looking forward to further strengthening our relationships with our emergency service colleagues as part of this project.’
The planning application was submitted after two successful community engagement events at Luke’s Lane Community Centre.
During those events, representatives from the local area came out in force to learn more about the project.
The next stage will see the appointment of a contractor for the project with preparation and groundworks expected later this year.
Not only will the new station provide state-of-the-art facilities and a hub for the local community, it will also be eco-friendly.
The sustainable station will have solar panels on the roof, a wildflower meadow that will help increase local biodiversity and a system that will store and re-use rainwater.
It’s estimated that the multi-million-pound project build will take approximately 12 months to complete.
The new station was designed by Sunderland City Council’s (SCC) Capital Projects team, in collaboration with TWFRS, with design and planning support from SCC’s Infrastructure & Regeneration teams and external consultants.
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