An abandoned fire station could soon be knocked down to make way for a housing development.

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service moved out of the fire station in Normaston Drive, Lowestoft, and into a brand new, purpose built station just yards away in July 2010.

Local firm Badger Building has now applied for permission to demolish the former Normanhurst Fire Station and clear the site for redevelopment.

Proposals for housing on the site of the old fire station, named Normanhurst because it was built on the side of Normanhurst House, were put forward back in 2009, when Waveney council was looking for feedback on preferred areas for future development.

At the time planning officers suggested a housing development would have to meet the needs of the whole community, and a mix of housing types and sizes would be expected.

An application detailing what kind of houses would be built has not yet been submitted.

In a letter to Waveney District Council's planning department, land and planning manager Edward Gilder said some of the building earmarked for demolition contain asbestos in the pipe network and floor tiles.

'This has been surveyed and recorded and will be removed by an authorised contractor, in accordance with the regulation, prior to any other work taking place,' he said.

'Once this work has been completed the buildings will be hand stripped of reclaimable material such as wiring and piping, doors etc and this will be sent for salvage.'

The roof, brick and concrete would be crushed on site ready to be recycled as road base.

Waveney officers are expected to make a decision on the demolition before May 23. If approved, work could start within days.