Purdysburn ambulance station to shut for good despite brief reprieve

However councillors are set to continue the fight to keep the local resource amid plans to re-locate the facility at the old Purdysburn site.

Councillor Brian Higginson commented: "I know that this is a temporary measure, we will be working with NIAS and the Belfast Trust to make sure that when they do look at a more permanent station that we will look to have it retained in the area.

“I am pleased to see that the NIAS at Purdysburn has reopened and become operational over the last couple of days, I had lobbied both the Belfast Trust and NIAS to have those staff and ambulances from Purdysburn who had been moved to Bridge End moved back.

“This is very good news for the local community in Castlereagh South and the wider south Belfast area and for the staff.

“I will always fight for our health services and those services who assist them in our community when they come under threat of closure.”

The ambulance station at Purdysburn is close to the Knockbracken health care park on the Saintfield Road.

In a NIAS letter to Mr Higginson a spokesperson for NIAS said: “I can advise that Purdysburn Ambulance Station, Knockbracken, was reoccupied and became operational again on Wednesday June 18, following a period of temporary closure.

“Prior to reoccupation, necessary repairs were completed, a deep clean was carried out, and a full health and safety risk assessment was undertaken.

“It remains the case that Purdysburn Station will need to close in due course. The farmyard area in which it is located, along with approximately 80 acres, is considered potentially surplus to requirements by the Department of Health and is therefore likely to be divested.

“In addition, the station does not offer suitable accommodation for our staff.

“At present, no timescale has been set for relocation, and NIAS has not yet identified a viable alternative.

“Once alternatives have been identified, we will engage with our staff, their representatives, local elected officials, and members of the public as appropriate.

“Any alternative location identified will be carefully considered and determined by the need to provide timely emergency care across the south Belfast geographical area.”