A WEST Somerset fire station needs a new drill tower as its existing structure has come to the end of its working life and is no longer fit for use.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue (DSFR) has applied for planning permission to demolish and replace the tower for Dulverton Fire Station, in Kemps Way.

DSFR property manager Ellie Scott said the plan was to knock down the existing masonry tower and replace it with a purpose-built steel-framed structure ‘designed to meet modern operational and training requirements’.

Ms Scott said the masonry drill tower was ‘now beyond economic repair’ due to structural degradation, ongoing maintenance issues, and escalating repair costs.

She said it failed to meet modern training standards, and keeping the structure would not be ‘prudent use of public funds’.

Ms Scott said: “Dulverton Fire Station is an established emergency service facility serving the town of Dulverton and its surrounding rural communities.

“The site is currently in operational use as a retained fire station.

“The existing drill tower has reached the end of its functional lifespan.

“Structural assessments have confirmed that repair and refurbishment would not be economically viable or operationally appropriate.

“The site lies within a sensitive rural context near Exmoor National Park, and the proposal has therefore been carefully considered in terms of scale, materials, visual impact, and pre-application advice has been sought.”

The new tower would reduce long-term maintenance requirements, improve safety and operational functionality, and minimise visual mass through a lightweight steel frame design.

Ms Scott said it reflected the utilitarian character of emergency service infrastructure, maintained proportionality with the existing site, would use contemporary materials to reduce bulk compared to masonry, and would not materially increase overlooking, overshadowing, or visual intrusion.

She said: “Given the established presence of a drill tower on the site, the principle of such a structure is long accepted in planning terms.

“The proposal represents a visual improvement over the existing deteriorating masonry structure.”

Ms Scott said drill towers were necessary for fire crews to train on working at height, carry out ladder drills and rope rescue exercises, and for realistic scenario-based training.

She said: “Modern firefighting standards require facilities that ensure safety, adaptability, and compliance with current operational procedures.

“The proposed steel tower will ensure that Dulverton Fire Station remains fully operational and capable of delivering essential emergency services.”

Ms Scott said the proposed development aligned with local and national planning policy objectives relating to community facilities and public safety infrastructure.

She said: “DSFR are the largest non-metropolitan fire service in the country.

“As a result, we must ensure that all of our firefighters have sufficient training structures, which are functional and accessible, to ensure our continued high-level training standards.”

Exmoor National Park Authority planning officer Joseph Rose in pre-application advice said steel was not a ‘natural and traditional building material within the Exmoor vernacular’, but nor was masonry, which was ‘quite utilitarian in character’.

Mr Rose said the main considerations would be the principle of development and any heritage impacts, including on the town’s conservation area.