AN ONGOING battle to salvage some form of community facility from the planned closure of Haworth Fire Station has been dealt a devastating blow.

Councillor John Huxley, of the Worth Valley joint transport and emergency services committee, confirmed both the police and Calder Valley Search and Rescue team have pulled out of a scheme to turn the building into a safety hub.

The property is due to close as a retained fire station on December 31.

Cllr Huxley said: “We certainly suffered a body blow when the police decided they did not want to be part of this.

“I am disappointed, as I had hoped we could do some business with them, but the police are not taking part due to financial reasons, and Calder Valley Search and Rescue have also pulled out.

“But I’ve not given up on trying to save the building, and in the long-term returning some fire-fighting capacity to it.

“I still feel the same way. I believe the project is doable, though sadly it has become a great deal harder. The fire and rescue authority is being patient and giving us time”

The committee he sits on includes representatives from Oxenhope, Haworth and Keighley parish and town councils. The group has been meeting with fire service and police chiefs to work out some way of retaining the fire station building as a public asset. Cllr Huxley said it was now vital to try and keep the Station Road building open beyond the end of the year, warning once it closes it could be gone for good.

“It’s been a long, difficult process, and it’s going to take longer than we thought,” he added.

“We’re investigating with Bradford Council if it would be possible to keep the building open as a community hub.

“We’ve always had the December 31 deadline in our minds, and we don’t want the building to be left empty after that date.

“We have done everything in our power to try and put something viable in place, but we’re in a period of severe economic pressure. This is not easy and it’s a new concept that has never been done before. We’ve had to learn some painful lessons along the way.”