Fire station revamp dead in the water

Planning permission was given in December 2005 for the existing fire station in Victoria Road to be totally revamped and substantially extended.

Plans were drawn up on behalf of the Hailsham Trust for what was described as a community safety unit.

The building featured innovative design with rain water collection, a mini wind turbine and solar panels.

The plans were revealed in a two-day exhibition in 2005.

Services which would make the unit their base included Wealden and Eastbourne Lifeline.

Wealden and Eastbourne Lifelines merged earlier in the year but have been operating from Eastbourne Borough Council's offices until suitable premises were found.

The building would also have housed a centre for monitoring Hailsham town centre CCTV cameras and served double duty for both police and firefighters.

But Hailsham Trust executives were unable to attract sufficient funding for the new building and the project was dropped.

District councillor Margaret Kirkpatrick told the Express: 'Sadly this is now dead in the water.

'It was a wonderful scheme but there was a bit of lack of communication along the line and nothing happened.

'I still believe Lifeline is looking for suitable premises.'

Hailsham town clerk Elizabeth Jones said: 'We have been very active in pursuing this idea and hope we might come up with an alternative scheme soon.

'We hope to develop this ourselves, possibly with land or buildings in which we already have an interest.

'Let's just say a scheme is gently brewing.'