Council row over Gormley-linked fire station plans

A row has broken out over the future of the disused fire station in Hexham

Opposition councillors have "called in" a decision to demolish a former fire station to make way for a depot, despite interest from Angel of the North creator Sir Antony Gormley.

The artist had submitted plans for the disused building on Tyne Mills Industrial Estate in Hexham, Northumberland, to be used to store his work and potentially exhibit it in the future.

A decision to demolish the site will now be paused and go before a Northumberland County Council scrutiny committee in early December.

The Conservative-led authority said expanding the depot was a priority to get ready for more recycling and that it would continue to work with the sculptor to identify an alternative.

More than 3,600 people signed a petition urging the council to sell the building to the artist.

Councillor Derek Kennedy, who leads the council's Independent Group, led the charge to call in the decision.

"We will not go down without fighting this and the Conservatives' premature decision," said Kennedy, who is also Hexham's mayor.

Alternative site

The depot needed to be increased in size as the council has new, government-mandated recycling responsibilities coming in to force next year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

The council previously said that building the additional depot space elsewhere in the town would cost £1.5m in capital cost, and a reoccurring £250,000 revenue cost.

Cabinet member for finance Nick Oliver said the council had intended to demolish the old fire station since 2021.

"We have been in discussions with the Gormley Foundation about additional storage space since 2023 and have consistently told them and other interested parties that it was never for sale," Oliver said.

"We will continue to work closely with Sir Antony and his Foundation to see if we can secure a piece of his work to display in Hexham and help identify a site to meet his expanded storage needs and eventual seasonal gallery space."

Sir Antony Gormley created the Angel of the North in Gateshead

Supporters of the scheme had been accused by the administration of misunderstanding what Sir Antony intended to use the building for.

There had been insistence that the fire station would be used solely for storage, with short-term exhibitions held intermittently throughout the year, the LDRS understands.

A business plan written by Sir Antony stated that the building "would include a gallery in which key works could be exhibited".

It added that the fire station had the space and structural qualities to accommodate both storage and a gallery which could "eventually host specific displays of Antony Gormley's work or selections of a core collection of drawings".

Responding to the accusations of a misunderstanding, Kennedy said: "This would be the third building Sir Antony has in Hexham.

"It would be an exhibition space for a quite legendary industrial sculptor," he said.

Sir Antony has been approached for comment.