Plans to flatten fire station held up after outcry

THE future of Hexham's former fire station remains up in the air amid a row over whether it should be sold to Sir Antony Gormley.

- DANIEL HOLLAND

Northumberland County Council's leadership decided last month to demolish the disused building in order to make way for the development of an expanded Tyne Mills council depot.

But that move, which has sparked a public outcry from locals keen to see the space taken over by the acclaimed sculptor, will stay on hold as the battle is set to rumble on ahead of a new public debate.

More than 3,000 people have signed a petition calling on the council to sell, and hundreds of Hexham residents recently staged a protest in support of the artist's ambition to turn the old fire station into a storage and exhibition space, gathering at Sele Hill to form a human Angel of the North in homage to his famous work.

Following the Conservative cabinet's November decision not to sell the site to Sir Antony, the matter was 'called in' by opposition councillors for a special scrutiny meeting held on Wednesday afternoon.

At that hearing, it was determined that the issue would be sent to be debated at a full council meeting before the demolition works can proceed.