A PROPOSED site for a multi-million pound emergency services station in Barnard Castle is the safest option, according to fire chiefs.

Phil Innis, district manager of the Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, updated members of the Teesdale Action Partnership (TAP) after they asked the service to consider other sites in the town.

The £3.78 million hub - dubbed a quad-service station - would house fire, police, ambulance and mountain rescue services.

The Government announced that £3.78m had been awarded to emergency services in County Durham to build the station, which will be the first of its kind in the country.

It is proposed to locate it on the site of the existing Barnard Castle fire station, in Wilson Street, which will be demolished to make way for it.

Mr Innis said: “If we move from that site there could be an increase to attendance times and a risk to the community and that’s a risk that we are not willing to take.

“It’s a great opportunity to secure it in the Barnard Castle area for 40 to 50 years and if we move to another site you have to go back to planning and that presents a risk to the project.”

The board heard how many of the firemen already live and work close to Wilson Street so response times would be increased if they had to travel further to reach the station.

He also stressed there was a risk the service would not be able to spend the money in time before the cut-off in April 2016 which could leave the area without a station entirely.

Neighbourhood Inspector, Kevin Tuck, added: “The architects have looked again and they have really listened to some of the concerns about parking.

“They have listened and are reviewing the plans as we speak but it is a very tight timescale and we have to keep the project moving forward.”

However, the plans have been criticised by residents and Barnard Castle Town Council who said Wilson Street site was not suitable.

Wilson Street resident, Dick Francis, argued that the Harmire Industrial Estate was the best place for the hub.

“I feel that we are being blackmailed into acceptance even though our concerns aren't being answered satisfactorily,” he said.

The plans are due to be submitted next week when the public will then have six weeks to comment on them.