West Sussex is getting a new fire station and fire service training centre.

The county’s fire service has been trying for more than ten years to establish the facility, which was approved by county councillors yesterday.

The £21 million development will take place off the A24 close to Horsham and is expected to take about 18 months.

Cabinet Member for Fire & Rescue and Communities, Duncan Crow, said: “I am delighted that this project has been approved today. The new development represents a significant investment in our fire and rescue service that will allow our firefighters the very best in training facilities. This benefits not only our firefighters, but also the safety of West Sussex residents.”

Chief Fire Officer, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, said: “This is a fantastic commitment from the county council to the training and development of all of our staff, and one which is going to have an incredible impact upon our service. I cannot wait for work to begin to turn these plans into a fully functional fire station and training centre.”

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