A major revamp of a fire station is one step closer as plans to demolish the current building are set to be discussed.

Proposals to build a new fire station on the current site on Bury New Road in Whitefield were put forward in February as part of a £38m development programme.

The application to demolish the building followed a public consultation which took place earlier this year and the programme will also see a new station built in Blackley.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) say the new, “state-of-the art” fire stations will replace decades old buildings, improving efficiency and cutting carbon emissions.

Bury Times: What the new fire station could look like under the plansWhat the new fire station could look like under the plans (Image: GMCA)

READ MORE: Wilko: B&M aiming for deal to take over around 50 stores

If plans are approved by the council, a temporary fire station will be constructed before the demolition of the old building to allow crews to continue to work there.

A statement by development consultants Paul Butler Associates said: “The proposals will replace a dated fire station facility and provide GMFRS with a modern new fire station from which to operate services for the community.

“The existing building is shared with the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) who will continue to operate from the new building.

“The proposed new building will be highly energy efficient and includes solar panels to generate electricity to offset the usage within the station.

“The new facility also includes a green roof to help increase local biodiversity.”

The current building, dating to back the 1960s, is set to be replaced with a two-storey new build with grey brickwork and red feature fins.

Bury Times: The current Whitefield fire stationThe current Whitefield fire station (Image: Newsquest)

READ MORE: Bury families to come together to mark World Suicide Awareness Day

Ahead of public consultation, GMFRS chief fire officer Dave Russel said: “We recognise that the pressures and the challenges we face across GMFRS are changing.

“We also recognise the responsibility we have, as a service embedded at the heart of our communities, to make sure that residents can have their say on our vision for adapting to these changes.

“These plans will see decades-old buildings replaced with state-of-the-art fire stations, enabling us to maintain the cover our crews provide while increasing the energy efficiency of our estate and cutting carbon emissions.

“This is about making sure that GMFRS is on the front foot and equipped with the tools and the facilities to carry on serving Greater Manchester.”