Plans submitted for temporary base for Douglas RNLI

Discussions about its permanent future are still ongoing

Plans have been submitted for a new temporary base for Douglas RNLI.

It's future has been in doubt since the charity started looking for a site to relocate the existing boathouse to since 2013.

Plans to renovate the current building were put forward in 2016, but they weren't progressed.

The charity's volunteers are currently operating from temporary premises at Battery Yard, but now a planning application's been submitted to change the use of the Manx Marine building on the Tongue.

If approved, the new base next to the Coastguard station would be leased by the Department of Infrastructure to the RNLI for seven years, with a review option after four.

The slipway at the former station hasn't been used since 2018 and the lifeboat now launches from the liner berth within the harbour, an arrangement which will continue.

The RNLI’s lease on the former slipway station has expired and the site has been handed back to the Isle of Man Government. Its future will be determined soon.

Sam Holliday, Interim Head of Region Wales, West and the Isle of Man, RNLI, said: "Our volunteer crew deserve facilities that meet modern standards. 

"This move would deliver a significantly improved lifeboat station, giving our people a stronger base from which to continue saving lives at sea, as they have done for more than 200 years. 

"Subject to the necessary approvals, the RNLI is committed to prioritising this project and enabling the crew to operate from the new facility as soon as realistically possible."

"We’re grateful to the Isle of Man Government for their continued support and working with us to make this possible."

Michael MacDonald, Ports Manager (Harbour Master) at the Department of Infrastructure, said: "The RNLI plays a vital role in maritime safety around the Isle of Man. 

"We’re pleased to support this temporary solution while discussions continue about the long-term future of lifeboat provision in Douglas."