Cornwall planners have given the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) the go ahead for a replacement lifeboat station at Kilcobben Cove on the Lizard. The charity needs the purpose built facility to house a new Tamar class all-weather lifeboat and to ensure its life saving role can continue in the area for many years to come.

Designed by architects Poynton Bradbury Wynter Cole of St Ives, along with engineers Royal Haskoning, the new building will replace the existing station, which was constructed in 1961. As well as housing a state-of-the-art Tamar class lifeboat, the new building will provide modern facilities for crew training, a workshop for the mechanic and better access for members of the public.

Philip Burgess, RNLI Coxswain at The Lizard, says the permission marks an historic moment in the history of The Lizard lifeboat station that this year celebrates its 150th anniversary:

‘This is brilliant news for everyone at the lifeboat station and the whole community around the Lizard peninsula. I’m delighted as this means we can continue to provide a life saving service for many more years to come. Our 150 years show that this is a vital lifeboat station serving an area which sees more than 400 ships a day moving up and down the channel past Lizard Point, as well as the fishing and pleasure boats that operate locally.’

The new boathouse will represent a £6 million investment, which will be met by the many generous donations made to the charity by the public, including some that have been left in legacies specially for building projects. This will be a complicated project, as the old station will have to be knocked down and the new one built on the same site. Much of the work will be done from seaward using a large jack-up barge. Adam Littlejohn is the RNLI’s Shoreworks Manager for the south west:

‘Any building with its feet in the sand and the rest exposed to the forces of wind and wave is a challenge to construct. Design standards and construction materials used for the boathouse structure and fabric will have to be of the highest specification and able to withstand the rigours of the demanding coastal environment.’

However, as Mike Lord, Chairman of the The Lizard lifeboat station explains, there will be an appeal to help towards the cost of the new lifeboat:

‘I’m delighted to hear this latest news as it’s another major step towards the completion of a new boathouse for The Lizard. Work is due to start next year so the plan is rapidly becoming a reality. The announcement comes just as we are planning to launch an appeal to raise £1.8 million towards the cost of the new £2.7 million lifeboat that will live in the building.’

The new Tamar class all-weather lifeboat is due to be delivered in Autumn 2011.

Notes to editors

· Attached is a computer-generated image of the new boathouse that will be built at The Lizard. Please credit RNLI/TigerX.

· Also attached is a picture of the current Tyne class all-weather Lizard lifeboat returning to the slip of the existing lifeboat station. Please credit RNLI/Nigel Millard.

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact Tamsin Thomas, RNLI Media Relations Manager, on 07786 668847 or email tthomas@rnli.org.uk To contact Poynton Bradbury Wynter Cole Architects please call either Simon Burgess or Cian Spowart on 01736 792000.