Sailing
TEESDALE Sailing and Watersports Club is planning to boost facilities at its Grassholme Reservoir base.
The club has asked for planning permission to build a new safety office and signals mast nearer to the water after Northumbrian Water moved the previous access slip as part of its redevelopment of the reservoir.
In the application the club’s Richard Hewitt said changes by Northumberian Water had created supervision problems and monitoring could not take place from the clubhouse, some 100 metres away, which has a restricted and distant view of the water.
He added: “A safety office at the top of the new slip will be the base for the officer of the day and thereby enable the club to monitor water use as people enter and leave the water.
“It will create a focal point where emergency equipment and first aid kit can be kept. Casualties, such as those suffering hypothermia, can be sheltered.
“Signals to those afloat can be made using flags flown from the mast and radio communication maintained with the safety boat crews.”
Mr Hewitt said the building would be similar in size to a garden shed and would feature windows on three sides to ensure good visibility.
He added: “Attached to the rear wall of the safety office will be a secure steel locker for storage of equipment such as survival kit, lifebuoys, first aid kit, stretcher, and ideally a defibrillator.
“The building will stand within the area recently developed as a boat storage park, as part of the redevelopment of the south eastern shoreline.
“The signal mast will be anodised aluminium of 100mm diameter by 6m in height. This is approximately the height of the boat masts in the boat park so it will not project above the general level of surrounding masts.”
