A NEW fire control nerve centre covering all Yorkshire and Humberside could be built in Kirklees.

It may be built at Birkenshaw, after the Government said it wanted to move towards just nine super control centres.

All would be linked and able to provide support and back-up to each other.

The first two regional centres could be operational by mid-2006, with the others gradually coming online until the end of 2007.

The West Yorkshire Fire Authority is urging that the Yorkshire and Humberside regional centre is built at brigade HQ in Birkenshaw.

Clr Darran Travis, the authority's finance committee chairman, said rules for the new centres meant existing buildings could not be used.

But neighbouring land could be used for a new centre.

He added that discussions on the matter were at an early stage, but the Birkenshaw site was ideal because it was near major transport links and centres of population.