Site fancied for new fire station

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has announced it is interested in acquiring about 70 per cent of Reserve 45447 on Cooper Road to build the station as a replacement for the defunct Success base on Hammond Road.

The Success station was closed in 2014 after a fourth firefighter in six years was diagnosed with kidney cancer.

Staff were relocated to the Cockburn Volunteer Emergency Services Complex on Poletti Road, where they have operated since.

Actually securing about 6000sq m of the land on Cooper Road may be difficult, considering it is part of the public open space network which provides separation between homes and the adjoining industrial area.

The process is administered by the Department of Lands and will be subject to community consultation.

In a report to council, City officers said at a minimum the City would write to nearby residents about the proposal.

“This letter will include the offer of a council-organised public meeting so that DFES can present its concept building, landscaping and operational plans for general discussion,” the report said.

“This would provide additional information to residents to enable them to be fully informed on the proposal and make a submission to council.

“Council would then consider the proposal for a final decision.”

As part of the agreement, DFES corporate services executive director Frank Pasquale said the department would transfer the land currently housing the Success station to the City and agree to fund a redevelopment of the area.

That would mean the Success station would be demolished and the land used for extra netball courts and parking, a move Cockburn planning and development services director Daniel Arndt told the Gazette last month the City was keen to see occur.

DFES has also offered to upgrade the remaining 30 per cent of the Cooper Road reserve for people living nearby.

The council will now seek a formal agreement with DFES to offset the land excision before consulting the community. A final report will come back to council after the consultation so the council can make a final call.