Alnmouth boathouse plans get the green light

Alnmouth Parish Council has been granted listed building consent to remove the boarded up windows and replace them with hardwood framed single glazed windows.

The rescue boathouse, which dates to 1885, is the northernmost of the two buildings next to the beach car park and bordering Alnmouth Village golf course. The other is the old lifeboat house.

Shaun Whyte, parish council chairman, explained in a planning report: “At some unknown point in the past, the rescue boathouse windows were taken out and replaced with boards. Whilst these are proof against wildlife, they are not watertight and there is evidence of water ingress.

"The proposal is simply to remove these boards and replace them with simple glazed hardwood frames similar to those currently in place in the neighbouring old lifeboat house. These will be aesthetically more pleasing and have the advantage of weather proofing the building.

“It is considered that this simple proposal will address the inappropriate and detrimental historic changes to the building’s windows.”

Northumberland County Council planning technician Katie Lois noted the application was supported by the heritage officer and approved it using delegated powers.

The building of the rescue boat house was financed by the Pease family, (a well-known northeast Quaker family whose summer residence was in the village), specifically for the protection and rescue of bathers after a bathing tragedy.

The Duke of Northumberland built the neighbouring old lifeboat house in the 1850s to accommodate the lifeboat he also financed.