Proposals have been put forward for a new fire station to be built in Sheringham which could also include office space for Norfolk police and other organisations.

The plans, which have been submitted to North Norfolk District Council on behalf of Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service and are currently under consultation, are for a proposed new fire station in Cromer Road, opposite the existing base.

Tesco has an application for a store in Sheringham, which has been approved, and would see a store built on the site of the current fire station and community centre next door.

The new fire station would include a telecommunications mast and also possibly office areas for the local police department within the building.

Roy Harold, assistant chief fire officer with Norfolk Fire and Rescue, said it were looking at sharing the new building with the police and possibly the coastguard. At the moment, the coastguard shares the current fire station building with the fire service, and he hoped that would continue.

He said Norfolk Fire and Rescue had also talked to Tesco, who had offered two community rooms built within the supermarket complex which could be used by the fire service as public education centres, used for giving talks about fire safety.

He said: 'We are really pleased to be working with Tesco on this; it is a great opportunity for us to get a new fire station and I have spoken to the crew at Sheringham and they are enthusiastic about this as well.'

The new fire station would be unmanned and in operation as and when needed. There will be training during the week at various times and one drill night per week, lasting two to three hours.

The hard-standing areas will be lit by floodlights off the building, facing away from residential properties.

Planning permission for the proposed new fire station was originally granted in 2003, but a new application has been submitted as updated plans include some layout alterations and minor height changes.