'Essential' New Fire Station Could Be Built In Island Coastal Town

East Cowes could get an ‘essential’ new fire station, replacing the previously demolished one.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) submitted a planning application to County Hall for a replacement building.

HIWFRS’s plans include a station with a Response Unit and Fleet Maintenance Facility, car parking provision and landscaping.

A Design and Access Statement prepared by Boyle and Summers on behalf of HIWFRS said:

“Maintaining an operational fire station in East Cowes is essential, as it provides critical fire coverage to the northeast of the Isle of Wight, an area with significant marine, industrial, and heritage risks.

“The nearest alternative stations — Newport, Ryde, and Cowes — are over 15 minutes away, exceeding HIWFRS’s target response time of ten minutes.

“The previous fire station was structurally unsafe, beyond economic repair, and contained asbestos, necessitating complete demolition in September 2024.

“Likewise, the existing Fleet Maintenance Centre (FMC) at Newport Fire Station has reached the end of its economic life and requires significant investment for building fabric repairs.

“Therefore, the vacant site in East Cowes provided an opportunity to combine both facilities. The East Cowes site is ready for redevelopment.”

Dean Haward, Isle of Wight group manager for HIWFRS said:

“The fire service is committed to returning the East Cowes crews to their base in the town.

“Thanks to the support of our Fire Authority and the work of our Estates team, who have worked closely with our Isle of Wight Council partners, we are making great progress to doing just that.

“Our on-call teams, not just in East Cowes, but across the island and wider Service, are valued members of their communities, showing incredible dedication to protect the local areas in which they live and work.

“We truly value them for sacrificing their time to make life safer in our community.”

The proposed fire station has a ‘relatively traditional form’ with a ‘rectangular layout’ and ‘simple hipped roof’, Boyle and Summers said.

The council’s public consultation on application 25/00696/FUL ends on June 16 and a decision is due on July 9.