BARNARD Castle residents have voiced their fears over plans to build a multi-million pound emergency services “quad” station in the town.

A special meeting was held by Barnard Castle Town Council last night (March 2), where residents said they were being “railroaded” into the proposals.

The £3.78m hub, housing fire, police, ambulance and mountain rescue services, would be the first of its kind in the country after the service was named as one of 37 projects to be given a share of a £75m Fire Transformation Fund.

Plans are to locate the station on the site of the existing fire station, in Wilson Street, which will be demolished to make way for it.

Councillor David Kinch questioned why the station could not be built on the Harmire Enterprise Park, while Councillor Gary Marshall and resident, Mike Elder, said parking would be a major problem.

But Colin Bage, Assistant Chief Fire Officer for the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, said Wilson Street was the best option, as retained firefighters have to live within five minutes of the station to respond to emergencies.

“If we move from Wilson Street, when we recruit they have to live within a five minute response time from there – for us it’s all about getting a response there,” he added.

Resident, Dick Francis, raised concerns about plans for an underground fuel tank while Ann Francis questioned the percentage of the retained firemen who live in Wilson Street.

Fellow resident, Neil Diment, said: “No one objects to the quad hub here in Barney but if we were starting on a blank piece of paper there’s no way we would build a quad hub in this area.

“I’m very disappointed that there has not been presented to us properly costed option for the two other options – it feels like we are being told it’s decided, take it or leave it.”

Mr Bage said if the funding was not spent by 2016 it would be taken back, adding: “We are building a station in good faith and at a time where public services are getting hit – this is a way of securing a quality service within Barnard Castle.”

Concluding the meeting, Cllr Blissett, said: “It seems it’s been a done deal and I think the majority here feel the same.

“We accept the idea but we feel that it’s in the wrong location.”

The council unanimously agreed to object the proposals.

The consultation period ends on March 5.