Cradley Heath's Municipal Buildings earmarked as possible fire station site (From Halesowen News)

Cradley Heath's Municipal Buildings earmarked as possible fire station site

11:42am Thursday 9th February 2012 in Local

Cradley Heath’s former Municipal Buildings are being considered as a site for a new fire station to cover the town and Halesowen.

West Midlands Fire Authority chairman Councillor John Edwards revealed the unwanted Sandwell Council premises is a “possibility” despite not being of equal distance between the two towns.

“While that area is not in the immediate optimum area, it is not far outside it, and there are advantages in terms of access, visibility and being next to a leisure centre,” he said.

Cllr Edwards stressed the 1930s building, on the corner of Barrs Road and Halesowen Road, was one of a number of options to replace the two towns existing stations being drawn up for the fire authority to make a decision on at its April meeting.

Public information sessions will be held next month to gauge people’s views on risk and response issues and community access at the planned new facility.

The Labour councillor for Sandwell said options will not be revealed at that stage as such information could be commercially sensitive.

Meanwhile, a bid to take legal action to stop the closure of the Halesowen station in Hagley Road moved a step further this week as papers were sent to top London barristers to weigh up the chance of winning.

Counsel at Matrix Chambers, for whom ex-prime minister Tony Blair’s wife Cherie Booth works, are analysing the files after leading judicial review solicitors agreed last month that there is a case to answer.

If the barristers decree the odds are good, the town’s Fire Station Community Action Group, will apply to the high court for a review which will force West Midlands Fire Service to halt the closure of the station on March 31 at least until the legal action is concluded.

If the review rules in favour of the objectors, the fire service would have to come up with a fresh consultation.

Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP James Morris, who is backing the action group’s bid for a judicial review, said: "We have secured enough donations to proceed and have asked our solicitors to refer this to one of the top barristers’ chambers in the country for further advice.

“If they are confident of success then we will go ahead with a full legal challenge."

The region’s fire authority agreed last November to cut the number of fire engines covering Halesowen and Cradley Heath from two to one and to close the Halesowen station - a decision which Cllr Edwards said was “non-negotiable.”