Local councillor , Jackie Meldrum, outside 210 Knights Hill
The London Fire Brigade’s proposal to move West Norwood’s fire station to a new site at 210 Knights Hill was thrown at by councillors on Lambeth’s Planning committee on Tuesday night. Objectors argued the fire station would create too much extra noise & nuisance in quiet residential streets. For details of the meeting see this section on Lambeth’s website.
Local councillor Jane Pickard backed objectors who said the Fire Brigade was wrong to think they could not modernise the existing fire station at 445 Norwood Road after it was listed as a building of historical and special interest in 2006. During discussions with the Fire Brigade over the last few months it became clear that fire fighter training could be very noisy for residents living close by to the new station.
The Planning committee agreed with objectors and fire chiefs said they would now look again at converting the station at 445 Norwood Road rather than moving elsewhere.
Jane said “ This is really the best result for everyone. The fire fighters can get a better working conditions inside the existing building, the attractive front of the building could be preserved, West Norwood will not suffer a derelict listed building which may be hard to convert to flats and residents of Knights Hill neighbourhood will be left in peace & quiet.”