The
Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has submitted plans today for a new lifeboat station in Scarborough.

The charity submitted the plans to Scarborough Borough
Council for a new boathouse to replace the existing building on
Foreshore Road in the town.

A larger building is needed to house
the new state-of-the-art Shannon class lifeboat.

In 2015, Scarborough RNLI’s current all-weather Mersey class lifeboat Fanny Victoria Wilkinson and Frank Stubbs,
will be nearing the end of her operational life. She will be replaced
by the newest member of the RNLI fleet.

Scarborough
will be one of the first of the charity’s lifeboat stations to receive a
Shannon class lifeboat and Supacat bespoke launch and recovery vehicle.

The
new plans are designed to offer the necessary extra space required to
store the Shannon class lifeboat and Supacat launching vehicle. This
will also mean the lifeboat and launch tractor can remain coupled
together, which will speed up the launching process.

Additionally,
a space will be created within the station to enable the charity’s
lifeguards to store the equipment for their summer beach safety patrols.

The build is expected to cost around £3million.

It will be funded from various RNLI
sources including several generous legacies, donations and money from a
variety of past fundraising activities.

Once planning
permission has been granted for the new lifeboat station and the
contractors have been appointed it is hoped that the build will be
completed within a year.

The lifeboat station has been designed by long-established York architects Brierley Groom.

Andrew Ashton, RNLI Divisional Operations Manager, said: ‘The new
lifeboat station plans were conceived not only to provide the extra
space needed to accommodate the new Shannon lifeboat, but also to
upgrade the volunteer crew’s facilities to a standard befitting the next
generation of lifesavers.

‘The crew will have a superior space for interactive training, and
they’ll also benefit from a state-of-the-art drying room for their kit,
which will improve their comfort. The building will also utilise the
latest eco-friendly technology, including a ground source heat recovery
system.

‘Members of the public have always been encouraged to visit the
station, but now they will have the advantage of a more interactive
experience in the ‘encounter space’, where temporary exhibitions can
take place.

‘Visitors will also be able to see the new Shannon at her
best from an enhanced viewing gallery. The station shop will be upgraded
and developed too, which will make for an improved retail experience.’

John Senior, Scarborough RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, added:
‘We’re very excited about the plans for the new station, although
naturally we’ll be sad to say goodbye to the current boathouse when the
time comes.

‘The building has a long and distinguished history, and it
has certainly served us well in providing a base for saving lives at
sea.’

Pictures: Artist impressions of how the new Scarborough lifeboat station would look from the promenade and beach. Credit: Movizuals