Kingsland Road Fire Station in Hackney will now house new free school. Credit: Stacey Harris

A Hackney fire station closed down by Boris Johnson amid huge public outcry in 2014 is to be transformed into a primary school, the council has announced.

From September 2017 the Kingsland Road Fire Station will now house the Hackney New Primary School.

Despite huge local opposition, the fire station was one of ten across London shut down as part of the mayor’s cost-cutting plans.

Paul Embery, Regional Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union for London, told EastLondon Lines: “It is scandalous that this fire station was closed.

“Hackney is a densely-populated borough with high levels of deprivation. It is the type of borough where fires are more likely to happen.”

The plan was opposed by Hackney Council who took legal action against the decision, but the case was rejected by the High Court in 2013.

MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch, Meg Hillier, claimed response times in De Beauvouir went up from an average of four minutes to more than six.

Embery said: “Response times have increased locally since the station was closed, and local people have been placed at greater risk.

“Cuts to the fire service cost lives. If someone is injured or dies as a result of this closure, we will make sure those responsible are held to account.”

Hillier said that the new primary school was “better than luxury homes”.

The 0.52 acre piece of land the building sits on is being sold by Dron & Wright.

Sioban Horisk, headteacher at Hackney Primary School, said: “For us the fire station site is ideal as it is just across the road from our secondary, Hackney New School.

“Being so close will enable us to work together more effectively, particularly in relation to our music specialism.

“Whilst the fire station is a loss to the area, for us it makes good sense that the land will be used as a new school for the community.”

The school is planning to take in 50 additional students each year up to a total of 350 over the next seven years.