THE Country Fire Authority wants to move firefighters out of the Bendigo CBD for several years when it redevelops the Hargreaves Street headquarters.
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Under the plan to service Bendigo while Hargreaves Street's station is redeveloped, firefighters will move more than three kilometres away to a disused block in Murphy Street, Bendigo East.
The temporary station will likely be sold off once the CFA finishes its Hargreaves Street build, according to a CFA submission to City of Greater Bendigo's planning department.
The temporary East Bendigo station will operate 24 hours a day.
"This will generate some truck movements with sirens in the surrounding area, particularly along Strickland Road, Murphy Street and Powells Avenue," the submission read.
"However, these movements will be confined to the road network, where it is entirely reasonable to expect large, and sometimes noisy, heavy vehicles."
The site was chosen after a "detailed search" because of the block's size, location to major roads and because it is in an industrial estate, according to the submission.
The closest home is 400 metres away in Strickland Road.
Even though the building will not be fitted with sirens, trucks will need to sound theirs as they leave for emergencies, the submission stated. Crews will also need to run regular drills outside.
"These activities will occur at the change of shift and require vehicles to be running and sirens tested," the submission stated.
Trucks will leave the station for an estimated 1400 call-outs every year, the submission states.
"On average, it is expected that the facility will generate three to four call-outs a day. This is not considered an unreasonable impact on surrounding land uses, or residential areas, in the broader Bendigo East area.
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The CFA did not commission a traffic count before submitting their plan.
"However, visual observations indicate that traffic volumes will not restrict egress on ingress to the site, and that no changes to the road network will be required to accommodate the use," the submission stated.
To bring the land up to standard the CFA will renovate a shed on site.
It will also build a new truck storage shed, storage and preparation areas, resting areas for firefighters and a 28-lot car park.
Up to 12 career firefighters will be stationed in Murphy Street working 14 hour shifts, should it get the green light.
They will be deployed to unfolding incidents in two trucks.
"Volunteers may also respond when and if called to attend an incident and typically arrive at the facility some five minutes after ... career staff have departed the station," the submission stated.
The CFA is in the "early stages" of planning for the Hargreaves Street redevelopment, which is part of a state-government plan to add 450 new firefighters across Victoria.
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