BROMYARD could play a pivotal role in emergency environmental protection after Hereford and Worcester Fire Service submitted plans to expand the town’s station.

The service hopes to take advantage of Bromyard’s central location to tackle chemical spills, water contamination and other emergencies with the use of a new environmental unit.

A planning application has been submitted which would see the demolition of existing garages at the New Road station and the construction of a new garage to house a specially- adapted Mercedes Sprinter four-wheel-drive van.

Environmental units, which often accompany engines on emergency call-outs when contamination may be an issue, are currently based in Evesham and Stourport and consist of trailers which have to be towed.

Jon Pryce, area manager responsible for 27 fire stations across the two counties, stressed the proposals were at an early stage, but would make Bromyard integral to the service’s environmental strategy.

He said: “We’re looking very seriously at the Bromyard option. Our initial idea is there are six single garages there. We do not actually use them for anything because they’re too small to put anything in them.

“We’re proposing to knock them down and put a new structure in the corner.”

If the plan went ahead, the new van would be crewed by existing firefighters at Bromyard Station following training in the specialist equipment.