Needles Coastguard Rescue Team have moved into their brand new station at Golden Hill Fort near Freshwater, waving goodbye to their home in Totland where the team has been based for the past 40 years.
The team – 1 of 3 on the Isle of Wight – is now operating from its new base, which offers a spacious, modern and well-equipped space for the 11-strong team to prepare for search and rescue missions. It boasts a dedicated training room and washing and drying facilities, as well as better parking and storage.
HM Coastguard had been exploring the option of moving from Totland to Yarmouth Fire Station, as previously reported by Island Echo. However, the decision was later taken to build an entirely new building just off the main Yarmouth to Freshwater road.
Now, after 12 months of planning and costing more than £200,000, the new station is finally operational.
Andrew Woodford, Senior Coastal Operations Officer (SCOO) for Area 9, which includes the Isle of Wight, says:
“This is great news for both the team and the island, as we are now in a much better place to respond to call outs and undertake training activities.
“The station is future-proof so it will be there for officers for years to come, it looks the part, and has all the facilities we need in a much more suitable space.
“A fit-for-purpose station is such an important part of coastguard training and response, so this is a brilliant addition to the service which will have clear benefits.”
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After 12 months of planning and costing more than £200,000, the building and fit-out took around 3 months to complete, with the final touches added in October, marking its operational status.
An official opening ceremony for the new station will take place later this year.
The Island’s other stations are located at Bembridge and Ventnor.
