A MULTI-MILLION pound training centre and fire station has been approved by a planning committee.

The £21 million development will be built on land off the A24 at Highwood Mill, near Horsham for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.

The new training facility will have an emphasis on real-life scenario training with its training tower and realistic road traffic collision training area.

The site will also have renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and air source heat pumps to provide heating, as well as electric vehicle charging points.

The project was unanimously given the go-ahead by the county council’s planning and rights of way committee.

Chief fire officer, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, said: “This is a fantastic commitment from the county council to the training and development of all of our staff, and one which is going to have an incredible impact upon our service.

The Argus:

"I cannot wait for work to begin to turn these plans into a fully functional fire station and training centre.”

Work is expected to start in May and will take around 18 months to complete.

A spokesman from the West Sussex County Council said: "It has been West Sussex County Council’s aspiration for well over a decade to create a new fire station for Horsham.

"The new facility will be the first of its kind in West Sussex. It will offer industry-leading facilities for fire and rescue service staff, as well as a new 24-hour operational fire station for Horsham."