Watersports school to build boathouse on Hove beach

A watersports school in Hove has been given permission to build a boathouse on the beach.

Lagoon Watersports, which is based at Hove Lagoon and teaches sailing and windsurfing, wants somewhere secure to store its safety boat.

It will build the boathouse – which measures 6ft high and 16ft x 12ft – on land just to the east of the Hove Deep Sea Anglers Club behind the Lagoon.

The anglers club already has permission to put up a beach locker and winch housing.

The two organisations are working together on tendering the contract for the work which, ideally, they hope will be completed later this year.

About ten objectors contacted Brighton and Hove City Council with one saying that approval would further intensify the commercial use of the Lagoon area.

One said that it would be an eyesore and another said that the boathouse would obstruct sea views from nearby beach huts.

A report to the council’s planning committee said: “It is not considered that the proposed boathouse would be significantly harmful to the appearance of this section of the

promenade or to more strategic views along the seafront.”

At a meeting at Hove Town Hall last Wednesday ( 31 August) councillors voted to approve the scheme.