PRIVATE cash will be used to build a new state of the art fire station in East Lancashire for the new millennium.

The station will be built on Hyndburn Road to replace the existing base on Manchester Road, Accrington, which would be closed down.

It will be constructed next to the planned the German cut price Lidl supermarket on which construction work has recently begun amidst a storm of controversy from nearby residents, who say they weren't told the diggers were moving in.

County Council chiefs submitted a bid to the government to go ahead with private finance initiative funding, which involves a private company putting up the cash for the building work and the fire service renting the station back from the owner.

Eventually, the building will become the property of the fire service itself once the agreed amount has been paid. It is not clear how much the new project will cost.

The Lancashire Combined Fire Authority now has the task of trying to find a partner from the private sector to put the money up.

Accrington Station Commander Mick Holmes said: "This is excellent news and a real step forward.

"I am now optimistic that the town will be getting a much needed new fire station in the future."

The current fire station at Manchester Road will be sold by the fire service once staff have moved to the new site.

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