Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat is applying for planning permission for an extension of its lifeboat station on the Esplanade.

A proposal has been submitted for a two-storey extension on the east side of the existing building, about 59 metres square. The aim is to provide more space and enable the Sea Rider lifeboat to be housed in its own boathouse which will be part of the new building, with direct access out on to the Esplanade. At the moment the Sea Rider is kept in a garage across the Ham East car park, which slows down launch times; Sidmouth Lifeboat says it typically takes a minimum of ten minutes to launch, as three people are needed to move the Sea Rider to the seafront.  

In their Design and Access statement submitted to East Devon District Council, Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat explains that the extension will enable the crew and support staff to refurbish and rearrange the internal spaces, generally giving people more room to move around, particularly during a call-out. At the moment there is a shortage of storage and the crew changing room is particularly inadequate. The extension will also provide additional training, work and meeting space, and be equipped with energy efficient heating; the current building is very cold and currently uses inefficient electric heaters. 

The proposed extension has been designed to fit into a gap in the street scene, while maintaining access to the boatyard behind. The extension is partly on land owned by the Watersports Hub, and as part of the development a boathouse for use by the Hub will be provided, with separate access from the lifeboat station. The provision of adjacent garages for the Sea Rider lifeboat and the Hub boat is designed to help both the lifeboat and watersports organisations to function more efficiently.

The design of the building itself echoes the architecture of the existing lifeboat station, using materials that will ‘match’ those already in place, in similar colours. The existing building render will be painted to match the extension.

The application to East Devon District Council for planning permission was validated on Wednesday, April 24. At the time of writing, no comments have been submitted to the online planning portal. To view the details of the application, visit East Devon District Council’s website, planning reference 24/0823/FUL.