The former Hexham Fire Station at Tyne Mills is due to be demolished next week, bringing an end to a campaign by residents and councillors who wanted the building handed to Sir Antony Gormley for an arts and storage centre.
The former Northumberland fire station became the focus of a dispute over plans linked to the Angel of the North creator. Supporters had hoped the building could be used to store Gormley’s work and include an exhibition space.
Northumberland County Council rejected that proposal, saying the land was needed for a new depot ahead of new recycling requirements. The council has continued with plans to remove the building and replace it with a new vehicle workshop.
Why the Tyne Mills site is being cleared
The council says demolition is the next stage in creating a “state of the art” maintenance facility. It says the replacement workshop will increase vehicle workshop capacity, improve working conditions and welfare for staff, and provide better value for money for residents.
Councillor Mark Mather, the council’s Cabinet Member for Roads and Highways, described the demolition as a vital step towards the new facility. He said the investment would benefit Hexham as well as surrounding communities through improved facilities and services.
The council also says the new depot is required as it prepares for new recycling requirements. The project is therefore being presented as an operational change intended to support local authority services, rather than simply the replacement of an unused building.
Campaigners say Hexham has missed an opportunity
Residents and local councillors had campaigned for the old station to be retained and transferred to Sir Antony. Mayor of Hexham Councillor Derek Kennedy said the arts proposal could have been delivered alongside the depot if a larger combined site had been considered.
“In an alternative universe, we could have had both a new council depot and a Sir Antony Gormley arts centre on the combined sites that are down there.”
He added that there was space for both projects but said more constructive and imaginative thinking would have been needed. He described the loss of the proposed centre as disappointing for Hexham.
“Obviously Hexham is going to receive a council depot and we're going to miss out on the Antony Gormley centre, which is really disappointing.”
The decision means the artistic use proposed by campaigners will not go ahead at the former fire station. The site will instead form part of the council’s planned maintenance and vehicle workshop facilities at Tyne Mills.
Demolition timetable and likely disruption
The demolition and associated process are estimated to take around eight weeks. Work is scheduled between 8am and 5pm, and Northumberland County Council says disruption in the surrounding area will be kept to a minimum.
The report was published by ChronicleLive Hexham on 18 August 2026.