FIREFIGHTERS in Teignmouth could not continue to work in a 50-year-old building at the end of a cul-de-sac.
Cllr David Weekes who, for 18 years until November, was a retained fireman in the town, claimed there was a despearate need for a new fire station.
'It was 18 years of waiting for a new station. This is a facility Teignmouth cannot do without,' he told Teignbridge Council Development Control Committee, on Monday.
The committee, which heard the site was in a conservation area, approved the application by 18 votes to one.
The committee was considering an application by the chief fire officer to construct a new fire station, parking and antenna mast on land off the A379 close to Orchard House and to the east of the Co-op supermarket.
But current Teignmouth mayor, Cllr Vince Fusco said he was not for the fire station in that particular area.
'I believe it is a good thing but it is not in the right place. I believe it will cause a lot of congestion on our main roads particularly during the summer.
'I am all for a fire station but I feel very strongly that is in the wrong place,' he maintained.
Cllr Weekes retorted that he was sad to hear the comments of his fellow councillor.
Cllr Roy Phillips pointed out that if there had been full and frank discussions from the beginning there would not have been delays.
'For the past few months we have had tail to tail traffic there. I go along with this under protest,' he said.
But Cllr Joan Lambert said the emergency services should be on a main road.
'They have to get out and get out quickly and this is the only place to put it,' she stated.
Cllr Humphrey Clemens said during the summer the traffic had been backing up to the Smugglers Inn, in the Dawlish direction, and he believed a letter should be sent to Devon County Council asking it to improve the traffic flow through Teignmouth.
'Unless the traffic flow is improved there will be times when the fire engine is stuck in the queue just like everyone else,' he said.