And Emergency Services and Police Minister Troy Grant said it could be up and running as early as next year.

The minister was in Parkes on Wednesday for a number of events – one of which included announcing the NSW Government’s purchase of a site for a new state-of-the-art Parkes Fire Station.

The new premises, facing Hill Street, is located directly behind the existing and outdated 94-year-old fire station in Court Street.

The land purchase has put an end to more than 10 years of Parkes Fire and Rescue NSW members pushing for a more modern and larger building and a significant search for an appropriate location.

The NSW Government had considered a number of blocks around Parkes, including one in a residential area in Victoria Street this time last year – which saw a number of residents and Parkes Shire Council raise concerns over its location.

But the Hill Street address was always the preferred and ideal option and always seemed to make the “most sense”, Mr Grant said.

Until now, it was unattainable because it belonged to a private party.

“This (site) gives the local firies the best optimum location to deploy across their area with their response times, which is critical when choosing a site for a fire station,” Mr Grant said.

“It adds to the massive investment that we’ve done in health here with a brand new Parkes Hospital, it adds to the brand new $14-plus million dollar police station, which is just next door.”

The NSW Government’s 2017-18 budget included a further $150,000 for the purchase of land, following $250,000 allocated in the 2016-17 budget.

The design and initial ground works for the new station are planned to begin later this year, after first being lodged through Parkes Shire Council and a public exhibition period.

Mr Grant said the cost for its construction sat well above $1 million but added a final figure was dependent on an approved development application that went through council.

“[We want to] get it out of the ground as soon as possible,” he said.

The new station will include a double motor bay, gym, changerooms, mess room, better storage and more and better equipment.

It will also more space for the firefighting crew of 18 to train and for more than one truck to fit inside.

“This is about giving the local firies better equipment that they deserve...helping them to deploy more effectively and efficiently,” Mr Grant said.

“We can give them the best trucks in the world, we can give them the best BA equipment, the best helmets, the best clothing but if it doesn’t fit into the fire station, you know that causes other problems.

“This will be built for the future – the evolution of fleet that they are getting is just getting bigger and better all the time, so it needs to have that capacity for that fleet to grow.”

Parkes Mayor Ken Keith OAM, along with a number of councillors, were also present for the announcement.

Cr Keith said the purchase was enormous for Parkes and, with the location next door to the existing station, he added there was a desire to incorporate the heritage building with the new, similar to what was done with the new police station.

“Firefighters will continue to be deployed from a central location,” he said.

Captain Craig Gibson he’ll miss the heritage and the memories of the old premises that was built in 1924.

“I’ve been in the brigade for 12 and a half years...The history is there...Members served their time in that station,” he said.

“We’re a community team, we’ve had a lot of good times and bad times but we’ve outgrown it.”