A REGIONAL training centre for the emergency services could be set up beside the A12 in Rivenhall.

The £10.9million centre would serve the Essex Fire and Rescue Service, Essex and Kent police, the Highways Agency and the East of England Ambulance Service and be in the grounds of Essex Fire and Rescue Service’s Kelvedon Park headquarters.

The move – the topic of a fire service discussion paper – would allow the fire service to close training centres in Witham, Orsett and Chelmsford.

Further expansion at Kelvedon Park could eventually also provide workshops for emergency services vehicles and a base for the Lexden-based urban search and rescue team.

However, James Abbott, the Green party’s Braintree councillor for Rivenhall, has concerns about the possible effect on the surrounding area.

Mr Abbott recently attended a briefing on the proposals and came away concerned about the impact of building in the countryside and road safety.

He explained: “There is a big concern about putting such a concentration of services in a place that has such a dangerous access.”

Fire chiefs are suggesting training centres in Witham, Chelmsford and Orsett and a computer centre in Basildon could be centralised at Kelvedon Park, saving £388,000 a year in running costs.

An Essex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman stressed there were no concrete plans at present.

He added: “We are looking at the possibility of centralising training at Kelvedon Park site, which would have an impact on the Witham site.

“The service has made a commitment a fire station will remain in Witham with the same number of fire engines, manned by the same number of firefighters.”

Braintree Council has been asked to consider designating Kelvedon Park an employment area in its Local Development Framework, but Rivenhall and Kelvedon parish councils oppose this idea.

The Witham fire station site has also been put forward in the framework document as a possible future housing site, a move opposed by Witham Town Council.