Former Cambridgeshire fire station could be demolished and site used for retirement flats

A disused fire station in Cambridgeshire could be demolished with the site used for retirement flats. A planning application for the former Huntingdon Fire Station has been submitted to Huntingdonshire District Council by McCarthy and Stone Retirement Lifestyles Ltd.

The proposed redevelopment would see "the demolition of existing buildings on site and erection of retirement living apartments with associated access, car parking, landscaping, ancillary facilities, and associated works", according to the application. The fire station was built in around 1972, with a drill tower on the site.

The former fire station was listed for sale in 2023 after being left vacant by Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service in December 2022. In October 2023, it was suggested that the site could be converted into 34 homes, but a planning application was not submitted.

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A design and access statement submitted with the application said the scheme aims to provide a "good level of accommodation" in a building suitable for the area. "The proposal aims to allow homeowners to relocate to a property ideally suited to their needs, whilst also freeing up existing family housing for local people and therefore minimising the need for further development elsewhere in the region," it said.

The statement said the proposals have 'evolved significantly' during a pre-application process. The initial design included 50 units in an L-shaped block, with three storeys. The revised design would include 48 units with associated facilities and parking.

You can view the planning application on the Huntingdonshire District Council portal using reference 24/01965/FUL here.