A MAJOR extension to a marina at a tourist hotspot in Bowness has been given the green light despite safety concerns raised by a local sailing school.

Windermere Aquatic Ltd applied to the Lake District National Park Authority to extend pontoon jetties at its marina next to The Glebe at Bowness in May. 

Currently the marina consists of nine floating pontoons extending up to 50m into the channel formed between the shore and Belle Isle and two staggered rows of moorings on buoys extending up to 70m into the lake. 

Under the plans this would be replaced with six floating pontoons extending up to 38m further into the water and the moorings would be removed - increasing the number of craft the marina can cater for from 203 to 260. 

However, David Hall manager of Blackwell Sailing, told a meeting of the LDNPA’s Development Control Committee the plans could endanger the safety of the disabled youngsters it teaches. 
Mr Hall said the development would reduce the area of water the school used for lessons and removing the moorings would take away the area their students traditionally used as a “safe place” which larger craft could not enter. 

“I think that without them in place we will feel a lot more vulnerable,” he said. 

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Dan McKiernan, senior project manager for Mariner Projects which developed the plans, said considerations about safe navigation had been designed into scheme. 

As part of the plans buoys would be placed 40m from the edge of the marina creating a “secondary channel” that would create a sheltered area to replace the moorings, he said. 

The removal of the moorings had also taken away a number of hazards they created, including limited visibility and the need to avoid mooring lines and tenders go to and from moored boats.

“The design process has resulted in not only maintaining, but improving the overall safety of navigation,” he said.

David McGowan, head of development management for the authority, told members that when voting they should consider whether the proposals would increase, decrease or make no difference to the safety of lake users in the area.

Member Jeremy Rowan-Robinson said: "The navigation risk within the redevelopment of the area will not exceed current levels but could even be an improvement on the current risk profile."
Members voted unanimously to delegate the decision to the authority's head of development management for approval.