Edinburgh fire stations: 2 'potential sites' in Duddingston being investigated to replace Marionville
Campaigners fighting plans to close Edinburgh's Marionville fire station say two sites in Duddingston are being investigated to see if they might be viable for a replacement station.
Marionville was built using the potentially dangerous RAAC concrete and is proposed to close by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) as part of a Scotland-wide review.
But residents, politicians and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) have voiced fears about increased response times in a rapidly growing city.
The SFRS has said that Marionville is not in the best location and has to be demolished due to the RACC. And it says if a fire station were to be retained in the area, Duddingston would be the "optimal" location.
But the SFRS told campaigners: "It would be very expensive to demolish and rebuild an improved Marionville at its identified optimal location in Duddingston, due to the lack of any affordable or suitable sites.”
However, two sites in Duddingston, both believed to be owned by the council, have now been highlighted.
Craigentinny/Duddingston Labour councillor Joan Griffiths said: "Members of the community have identified two sites and I have asked officers to have a look at that and see if they are potentially a goer.
"One is at Cairntow, beside the permanent travellers' site on Duddingston Road West, and the other used to be tennis courts just down the road from there on Duddingston Road West."
She said she did not know how viable they would be, but if they were there could then be negotiations with the SFRS on a potential land swap, so the fire station could be built in Duddingston and the council might develop the Marionville site for social housing.
She said she had been involved in fighting a previous proposal to close Marionville before she became a councillor in 2012.
"The reason it was saved was they said the data didn't add up and there was a need for a fire station here. I don't know why that would have changed - there's more property here now and more building in the area."
Danny Aston, SNP councillor for the ward, welcomed alternative sites being examined.
He said: "I think all options should be investigated. I don't want Marionville to be closed. Edinburgh and the surrounding areas have a rapidly growing population in comparison with the rest of the country and I think it's hard to justify a reduction in service provision.
"If the data points towards a site in Duddingston every effort should be made to pursue that. And if it's not possible at the moment and requires further work then Marionville should be kept and its life extended while an alternative site in Duddingston is identified."
Alex Staniforth, Green councillor for the ward, also opposes the closure of Marionville. He said: "If there is a site it could be moved to, to provide the same benefits to people in the ward and beyond, that would be a better solution than closing it completely."
David Strachan FBU branch secretary, said: “It has been my contention from the start that the decision to close Marionville fire station was made before the review began and SFRS are simply using the review to attempt to justify it.
“This is borne out in the fact that despite my best efforts, I can find no evidence whatsoever that SFRS made any serious attempt to find reasonable alternative locations for a rebuilt fire station.”
The SFRS said the public consultation on proposed changes to more than 30 fire stations across Scotland had now closed, but residents could still email proposals to [email protected] and these would be considered as part of the recommendations presented to the SFRS board in December.