A FIREFIGHTER has been praised by planners for suggesting a green approach to a £2.6m fire station for Harrogate.

The station will be built on the site of the present building in Skipton Road and has just been given full planning permission.

At a preliminary planning hearing 39-year-old Bob Wicks, a Harrogate-based firefighter from Grewelthorpe, near Ripon, told planners to think green before approving the plan.

When a full planning application for the new fire station was considered by Harrogate borough councillors, sustainable technologies had been identified by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Agents for the developers said rainwater harvesting would not be financially viable, while solar panels to generate hot water was not a technology favoured by the client, councillors were told.

However, high efficiency gas water heaters will be used to reduce electrical consumption and a wider efficient system will reduce heating wastage.

A wind turbine was rejected, but insulated glazing will be chosen to save energy.

Other energy efficiency points adopted include underfloor heating for fire engine bays to reduce heat loss, re-using demolition material for the new building, use of recycled steel framed construction where possible and use of sustainable timbers.

At an earlier meeting, Mr Wicks presented a petition signed by 43 firefighters concerned that no consideration had been given to energy efficiency.

Planning officer Anne Smith told the meeting the council was hoping to set a good example on energy efficiency issues.

Mr Wicks, who had stressed he was only appearing as a resident at the latest meeting, was thanked for bringing the green credentials to bear on the development.