Construction to start at new Southport lifeboat station

The current boathouse, built in 1886, will be replaced by a larger base

Construction work is due to start on a new £1.4m lifeboat station for Southport, nearly three years after it received planning permission.

Facilities at the current boathouse, built in 1886, have been called "dated" by the Southport Lifeboat Trust.

It said it had most of the funds but it had "taken longer than all parties had hoped... to tick all the boxes".

The station, which will be the largest lifeboat house in North West England, is due to be ready by early 2019.

Southport Lifeboat Trust, which is independent of the RNLI, received planning permission in August 2015 for a larger, purpose-built station.

An artist's impression of the new £1.4m boathouse

A spokesman said the idea for a new lifeboat house had been "in the pipeline for nearly 20 years, however, the National Lottery rejected a proposal for a new station in 2000 leaving the trust to raise the necessary funds itself".

"Inevitably, the facilities are now dated, with the station suffering from a lack of washing provisions, heating and space; meaning crew often go home cold and wet, with kit that can still be damp three days after being used."

The lifeboat trust had been working with Sefton Council and Natural England ahead of the approval of a lease for the new boathouse site.

Trustee Nicola Goldup said: "Whilst it has taken longer than all parties had hoped, we have been able to tick all the boxes necessary to satisfy all parties and can move forward in delivering an iconic building for our seafront."

The lifeboats and their launch vehicles will remain coupled together at the new operational and training centre, which will be located closer to the beach.