A NEW fire station in Bradford will be built on a former housing site, it has been revealed, after the fire service did a land swap deal with a social housing provider.

The Valley Road site - which will replace the Shipley and Idle stations that are closing - is two miles north of the original proposed site on Canal Road.

It will be at the junction of Valley Road and Shipley Fields Road, a site that used to be home to Incommunities housing.

The swap deal will see Bradford-based Incommunities build housing on the Shipley and Idle sites.

Bradford District commander Martin Speed said the announcement of the new site was exciting news.

"It is in a better position to enable us to cover higher risk areas in Bradford, like Manningham and Toller, whilst also giving us good cover for outlying areas that Shipley and Idle covered."

He added: "The flats that were on the site have been demolished - it is an empty site. Building work should start within eight months."

The fire service said the new station should be ready by the end of 2016. It will be crewed by full-time firefighters, 24/7, with one fire engine.

Deputy chief fire officer Steve Beckley said: “We are very pleased to be working with Incommunities to deliver a state-of-the-art fire station and at the same time facilitate the provision of high quality social housing in the areas of most need.

“I would like to thank Incommunities for their flexible approach which has allowed this partnership to come to fruition.”

Jez Lester, assistant chief executive, asset management for Incommunities, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service on a scheme which aims to deliver much needed affordable housing on two urban sites and a new state-of-the-art station on a former cleared housing site.

“We look forward to working with them on the planning applications to deliver the new homes.”

In December 2012 West Yorkshire Fire Authority approved the merger of Shipley and Idle, and their replacement with a new station. It followed a review of emergency cover across West Yorkshire in response to a reduction in risk and funding cuts.

Mr Speed said that since 2009, there had been a 25 per cent reduction in house fires in the area covered by Shipley and Idle stations, and an almost 39 per cent reduction in number of emergency calls.

West Yorkshire Fire Authority chairman, Councillor Judith Hughes, said: "The Authority continues to invest in state-of-the-art facilities to maintain its focus on protecting the people of West Yorkshire. This fire station is an investment for the next 30 to 40 years.

"The opportunity to support the provision of much needed social housing is an added bonus and we look forward to working with Incommunities over the coming months to bring these plans to fruition.”