News - 22/12/14

The RNLI have submitted a Works Licence Application relating to the proposed new RNLI station on the site of the Old Customs House building at the south end of the Parade. 

Works Licence application no W02/11. 

The RNLI aquired the Old Customs House building in July 2009 with the aim of making it their new lifeboat station in Cowes. The new lifeboat station will be located on the west bank of the River Medina at the entrance to Cowes Harbour.

The development will significantly improve RNLI operations in Cowes as the new station will have better training and maintenance facilities and will reduce emergency response times by four minutes compared with the current facilities which are located on a pontoon berth further up the River Medina.

The proposed development consists of the civil and marine engineering works that are required to allow the refurbishment of the Old Customs House building and an addition of a slipway suitable for launching an inshore lifeboat. The construction of the slipway will comprise the following works:

– Sheet piling to protect the end of an existing slipway
– Dredging of approximately 350m3 at the toe of the new slipway
– Driving of steel tubular piles to support the slipway deck
– Erection of a steelwork suspended deck supported by the piles

An overview of the works is shown on the ‘Proposed Slipway General Arrangement‘ drawing.

Any comments regarding the above application are to be sent to chc@cowes.co.uk by July 31st 2011.