Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has unveiled plans that could see it move its Huntingdon headquarters and fire station to a £7millon purpose-built centre.

The move was announced by acting chief fire officer Chris Strickland at a meeting of Huntingdonshire District Council last Wednesday (December 16).

He said: “The headquarters are very ineffective to modernisation we have been looking for some period of time to move into somewhere more in keeping for us as a modern day fire service. We are looking to move onto a bigger site.”

“We have always said as a fire service if an option arises for us where we can move to a new station and get better facilities without a huge expense to tax payers then we will look into the move.”

It was proposed that the current site of the fire station, in Hartford Road, could be turned into flats.

“It will cost us £7million to make the move, however the sale of assets including the headquarters and the fire station will make us somewhere in the region of £3millon and we have significant reserves that have been set aside for this change,” added Mr Strickland.

The fire service initially outlined two sites that it looked for the new combined centre, including Alconbury, but it was decided that the site in Washingley Road, Huntingdon, was the preferred choice.

“The site is quite near the A14 down into St Ives which means that we will be able to get down there quicker and back into Huntingdon,” added Mr Strickland.

Any potential future use of the headquarters in Hinchingbrooke Cottage, Brampton Road, is being explored by the service.

The announcement came after Mr Strickland revealed that the fire service will have to make savings of around £3million over the next three or four years.

Mr Strickland said: “Over the last four years we have had to take £4million from our £30million budget and over the next three or four years we will have to take around £3millon which will we will have a £28million budget – which will be quite a change for a big service.”