LEYTONSTONE Fire Station will be entirely rebuilt as part of a Government building programme to improve nine stations across London.

The London Fire Brigade has received £57.4 million to complete a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project which will see fire stations in Plaistow, Shadwell, Dagenham, Mitcham, the Old Kent Road, Dockhead, Orpington and Purley upgraded as well as Leytonstone.

The building work is expected to start in early 2012 and the first new station will be up and running in mid 2013.

The new buildings will be energy efficient, contain the latest environmental technology and provide room for modern fire appliances and training as well as high quality facilities.

They will also be meeting rooms where the public can chat to fire-fighters and get vital fire safety advice.

Ron Dobson, Commissioner of London Fire Brigade, said: "I am pleased that we've been given the go-ahead to build nine new fire stations. They will be an important contribution to providing modern facilities for our fire-fighters."

Eight of the stations, including the one in Leytonstone High Road, are being completely rebuilt on their existing sites apart from the one in Mitcham, which will be built on a new site.

The building work will be phased so that temporary arrangements can be made to ensure the affected fire stations can maintain services.

The PFI procurement process has been agreed with the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Treasury.

Under a PFI scheme, a project like building a new fire station has to be designed, built, financed and operated by a private sector consortium under a contract that typically lasts for 30 years.