A new fire, police and council building has been granted planning permission.

Work on the Newhaven Community Hub project is set to begin in November with the new fire station, police station and council office complex opening next summer.

The jointly-funded £3.07 million project means staff from East Sussex Fire and Rescue, Sussex Police and Lewes District Council (LDC) will all work under one roof.

The move sees Newhaven’s firefighters move around the corner from their current base in Fort Road to the Meeching Road site which was formerly home to the Saxonholme building.

Simon Herbert, Fire Brigades’ Union chairman for East Sussex, said that while firefighters would welcome the new station they would not want money spent on buildings while jobs were being lost.

He said: “Given the choice, the public would probably choose more firefighters.”

A spokeswoman for East Sussex Fire and Rescue said the service’s capital budget is spent on property assets and investment. This is different from how firefighters are paid.

She added the partnership project for a new fire station and office accommodation in Newhaven was a key asset and the service will sell its current Newhaven fire station to bring in funds.

LDC’s planning committee gave the scheme planning permission at a meeting at County Hall in Lewes on July 16.

Saxonholme, built around 1871, was demolished in 2006 and the land has lain derelict since.

Sussex Police’s Lewes district commander chief inspector Rob Leet said: “This is an exciting opportunity for our neighbourhood policing team and our local partners to provide a joined up service.”

The town’s Neighbourhood Policing Team will continue to be based at South Road Police Station until this new community hub is up and running.