A PLAN for a new fire station at Rastrick is earmarked for approval.

West Yorkshire Fire And Rescue Service has applied to Calderdale Council for a new fire station on land south of Clough Lane, Rastrick.

Council planners have recommended it for approval, but councillors must make the decision on Tuesday at Halifax Town Hall.

The application shows the site is a field with a public footpath to the east, an electricity substation and residential properties to the west and north.

The fire service wants to build a new station at Rastrick in place of the current stations in Brighouse and Elland, which will close as part of wider cuts.

The brigade must make savings of £7.8m in 2013/14, with the loss of 102 full-time firefighter jobs and 10 stations closed and merged into five new stations.

The Rastrick proposal is for a new three-bay fire station, which will comprise of a vehicle garage, offices, dormitory and rest and recreation areas. Ancillary to the building there will be a service yard to the rear and car parking areas to the side and rear.

Thirty-four people opposed the application. Their concerns included:

No reference being given to the historical significance of the site – there is believed to be an old road and there are calls for an exploration of what remains under the surface

A traffic survey needs to be done to establish that it is the best site

There is an underground stream

The development will impact on wildlife

The building work will cause chaos and disrupt traffic

The increase in traffic will make the area ‘a death trap’

The reasons given for the proposed site do not ring true – believed to be easier access to M62 westbound between Junctions 25 and 24 from Brighouse

Alleged hidden agenda of a new motorway junction at Clough Lane.

The planning report adds: “An analysis was undertaken to determine the location of a new fire station and this established that the New Hey Road/Clough Lane area of Rastrick was an optimum location.

“The original site on New Hey Road identified by WYFRS, and referred to by objectors, is not for sale and is therefore not considered to be available.

“There are no other suitable brownfield sites within this location and on balance it is considered that the proposal will not cause significant harm to the countryside and it is in a sustainable location served by public transport, as such it would be in accordance with the aims of the policy.”

It also adds that the council’s Environment Health department has received no complaints from neighbouring residential properties of Brighouse or Elland fire stations relating to noise.