The Country Fire Authority is hoping to have a new home in Buninyong by the end of 2018 after planning applications were lodged with the Ballarat City Council.
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The-then state Labor opposition made a commitment of $1.5 million for a new Buninyong facility prior to the 2014 election.
The CFA lodged a planning application last week to develop a former service station site which sits on the corner of Palmerston and Warrenheip streets.
CFA district 15 operations manager Brett Boatman said while the land acquisition still needed to be finalised and further soil testing needed to be carried out, he was confident the site would give better access to Buninyong’s 75 firefighters.
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“We think it’s in a slightly better location in terms of access and they’re currently in a building that’s more than 60 years old so from a usability point a view it would be a big improvement,” Mr Boatman said.
“Ideally we’d be hoping to be completed by this time next year, but that depends on how the town planning applications go and then trying to build a fire station through a Ballarat winter.”
The Buninyong Fire Brigade will have a more than 3000 square metre space with three drive-through bays and glass doors should the new location be given the green light.
The facility will also boast dedicated meeting and office spaces and a breathing apparatus room on top of additional shedding to the rear of the block.
An antique horse-drawn fire engine owned by the Fire Brigade is also set to go on display at the front of the new station when completed.
The Palmerston Street block is about twice the size of the existing Buninyong Fire Station positioned on the Midland Highway.
The preliminary works come as the CFA prepares to unveil the new Lucas Fire Station on Friday, which will see the number of professional firefighters in Ballarat boosted from 50 to 70.
The station has been temporarily set up in Delacombe but will eventually move out to the Ballarat west emergency services hub in Winter Valley, next to the Ballarat West Police Complex.