PLANS for six new community fire stations and a youth academy have been unveiled for Teesside.

Cleveland Fire Brigade was successful in a £40m joint bid County Durham and Darlington and Northumberland Fire and Rescue Services in receiving government Private Finance Initiative (PFI) funding.

The money will be used to create community fire stations in a move designed to bring members of the public and the fire brigades even closer together and improve ties with local communities.

The brigade’s vehicle workshops will also be modernised.

There will be two community fire stations in Hartlepool, and one each in Thornaby, Grangetown, Middlesbrough and Billingham.

Four community fire stations will be built in County Durham and Darlington and three are planned for Northumberland.

Modernising fire services facilities is part of the Government's commitment to reducing accidental fire related deaths at home by 20 per cent and arsons by ten per cent by 2010.

Tony Churchill, PFI director for Cleveland Fire Brigade, said: "We are really excited about this project and what it will bring to the community.

"We will be consulting with the public not only through the local planning applications but also through contact during our normal Community Safety activities, we welcome comments and would ask that when invited please get involved and help the Brigade deliver modern Fire Brigade facilities aimed at making a positive difference.

"At present the plan is to build them (the community fire stations) on the current sites, however, we are still trying to identify alternative sites.

He added: "Many of the facilities we currently use are not totally suitable for everyone. We want to be able to offer a better service to help young people learn."

"The new headquarters will be combined with the youth academy, workshops, stores and learning development centre which will be at the same site as the current headquarters with additional land."

Work on the new buildings is expected to start in 2011 and 2012 and should take about 18 months to complete. Outline planning permission is currently being sought on all six community fire stations.