Councillors have voted that Bath’s fire station can be demolished so a new fire station can be built in its place.
Bath’s fire station on Bathwick Street
Campaigners had called for the beautiful 1930s building to be saved.
Believed to be the last classical building in Bath before the onset of post-war modernism, the government is currently in the process of reviewing whether the fire station should be Grade II listed.
However, the government will not have long to make up its mind.
On Wednesday, 19th November, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s planning committee voted unanimously to approve Avon Fire & Rescue Service’s plans to knock down the station and build a “21st century” facility in its place.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Luke Gazzard told the committee: “The existing station on Bathwick Street has served the city well since 1938, but is no longer fit for purpose.
“It does not meet the standards of safety, accessibility, environmental performance, and staff wellbeing that the modern fire and rescue service requires, while the construction is unsound.”
The appliance bay doors are not wide enough for modern fire engines, which compromises response times and safety.
Meanwhile, the water response vehicle has to be stored in a separate office around the back. The planning application said: “Vehicles frequently strike the sides of the building.”
The planning committee were shown images of cracking in the fire station’s internal walls caused by ground movement issues, and fallen plaster caused by water damage.
The structural issues also affect the fire station’s iconic drill tower. The fire station’s facilities are also considered to be “substandard”.
But there have been calls to preserve the historic building, which saw Bath through the Bath Blitz in 1942.
The Twentieth Century Society has hailed the fire station as a rare work by a female architect from the era. It was completed in 1938 by Molly Gerrard (nee Taylor), who also designed Kilowatt House.
Historic England had recommended that the building be Grade II-listed, but the government refused, saying it was “not sufficiently special”. That decision is now under review.
Historic England said: “It is probably the last of the long tradition of classical buildings in the city before the period in which modernism dominated the architectural scene.”
How the new station will look | Image © Avon Fire & Rescue Service / Nicholas Pearson Associates
Planning committee member Eleanor Jackson (Westfield, Labour) said: “We have here what must have been a state-of-the-art building in 1938, when it was needed for the anticipated Blitz. But we are in a different century.”
She said: “We need to move forward and give people the facilities to do the crucial job they need.”
Duncan Hounsell (Saltford, Liberal Democrat) said the conditions he had seen on a tour of the building were “shameful”, with water coming through the roof, broken down heating, and one of the fireman’s poles closed off.
The new building would have wider and taller appliance bay doors and six instead of five.
It would also include decontamination facilities needed for modern firefighting and, critically, welfare spaces.
The new fire station cannot simply be built in a different location. On-call firefighters are required to live within a five-minute drive of the fire station, and so moving from the current site would involve relocating or re-recruiting 14 individuals.
Crews will, however, operate from a temporary station while the construction work is underway.
Councillors agreed to delegate the power to its officers to grant planning permission for the scheme when legal agreements are completed.
If the government decides to list the building before the planning permission is granted, the council will reconsider the application again.
The committee’s decision was in line with the recommendation from the council’s planning officers, who said that the needs of the emergency services and public safety outweigh the loss of a historic building.
Their report added: “Within Bath, the fire service plays an important role in protecting other historic buildings and heritage assets of higher significance, including the world heritage site, from fire damage.”
Some parts of the historic building will be preserved under the new plan. The original fireman’s pole will be reclaimed and incorporated into the final design of the new fire station.
The crest on the facade of the current building would also be carefully salvaged and “prominently re-set at the public entrance.”
Local councillor Toby Simon (Bathwick, Liberal Democrat) said in a statement to the planning committee: “While it is sad to lose the existing station, […] it’s in poor structural condition and doesn’t meet current requirements for a fire station.”
Shaun Hughes (Midsomer Norton North, Independent) said: “In the context of Bath’s extensive list of historic buildings, I don’t find this particularly significant — and it’s going to fall down anyway.”
Speaking after the planning meeting, Luke Gazzard said: “We are extremely grateful for the support from B&NES officers and the planning committee with a resolution to grant planning permission.
“Reaching this milestone has been nearly a decade in the making. Our 2016 strategic review highlighted Bath Station as urgently requiring investment, and this new station represents a major step forward for our service.
“The new Bath fire station will provide a modern, sustainable facility delivering improved response capability, better energy performance, lower long-term costs, and a workplace our staff deserve.”
Luke added: “We would like to thank our stakeholders, the residents who engaged with our process from the beginning, and to B&NES for their continued support in ensuring we can rebuild a fire station fit for modern-day firefighting.”
John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter
