FIRE safety chiefs will be formally asked to put the marketing of Haworth's mothballed fire station on hold to give local campaigners a chance to take over the building.

The recommendation – designed to give a fire station friends group time to flesh out plans to turn the property into an emergency services hub – will be considered by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority's community safety committee tomorrow. (April 24)

Steve Thorpe, chairman of the Friends of Haworth and Worth Valley Fire Station, said his group has submitted written proposals setting out how it would run the property if it takes it on.

"We're very hopeful," he said. "We'd like to get the police based in this building instead of in the Contact Point [in Changegate] and we're still hoping the ambulance service will have a rapid response vehicle based there.

"We're waiting to hear what the fire authority has to say to the hard work we've done. The most important thing is securing the building before it gets put up for sale."

The fire station ceased operations on December 31 last year as part of a major cost-cutting programme.

The recommendation to be put before the community safety committee states: "Friends of Haworth and Worth Valley Fire Station has been formed to develop proposals to take over the fire station.

"Contact has been established with this group and initial discussions have been very positive.

"Members of the Community Safety Committee are requested to approve a delay in marketing the former fire station for sale for two months."

The same report notes that options available to the fire authority include selling the fire station to the community at an agreed price, leasing the building at a rate based on the local rental market or leasing it at a reduced rate.

It adds: "The potential sale value of the fire station is between £150,000 and £200,000, with a potential rental income of £10,000 to £15,000 per year.

"Until the negotiations with community representatives are concluded, this represents a loss of potential income.

"The annual running costs for the building when operating as a fire station was approximately £14,000.

"Now the building is empty, the annual costs are significantly reduced but are still approximately £4,700.

"There are also ongoing financial risks associated with vandalism, including fire, and a gradual deterioration of the fabric of the building."

Mr Thorpe said: "We've put together an action plan showing how we'll be applying for funding, and explaining that we would be able to sustain the building if we get hold of it."

He said the friends group is staging its next meeting on Tuesday April 28 at 7pm in Haworth Primary School.

He added businesses are still being sought to sponsor a 2016 calendar which will be sold to raise cash for the fire station project. Firms interested in supporting this can contact him on 07969 658743 for further information.