A NEW station to house Swanage RNLI’s next lifeboat has been given the go-ahead by Purbeck District Council.
Work should start in autumn 2014 to house a 25-knot all-weather Shannon class lifeboat, the newest craft in the fleet. The charity submitted plans for a new £3.5million boathouse in May to replace the existing building and the project is expected to take a year.
In 2016 Swanage RNLI’s current all-weather Mersey class lifeboat Robert Charles Brown will be nearing the end of her operation life and will be replaced by a craft offering improved speed and manoeuvrability, with water jet propulsion. The craft is larger than the Mersey and needs a bigger lifeboat station.
It will also provide a changing and shower room for the volunteer crew, training room, workshop, office and base for the D-class inshore lifeboat. Detailed designs are to be finalised and a substantial legacy will provide a large contribution towards the cost.
Local fundraisers are well over half way through their appeal to raise a further £200,000 and more activities will take place during Lifeboat Week from August 8 to 17.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here