THE RNLI at Pwllheli has been granted planning permission for a new multi-million-pound boathouse to house the station’s new Shannon class lifeboat.

To help fund the building a community fundraising appeal for £50,000 has been launched.

The new boathouse will be located next to Plas Heli, on the opposite side of the river from the present boathouse, which has served Pwllheli lifeboats for more than 120 years.

Along with the Shannon class lifeboat, the D class inshore boat Robert J Wright, will also be housed at the new station.

Work on the boathouse is scheduled to start next May with completion planned for 2020, in time for the arrival of the new lifeboat.

Together with new and improved facilities for the volunteer crew, the boathouse will include a souvenir outlet and an area for the public to view and learn about the lifeboat.

The fundraising appeal is being kicked off with children of the current crew thinking of ways to raise money. Lili and Noah Green, whose father Andy serves in the crew, already plan to raising money by selling loom bands.

Clive Moore, coxswain at Pwllheli RNLI and boathouse architect, said: “The new station will boast state of the art facilities for the crew and it will be an asset for the local community.”

Alwyn Roberts, station mechanic at Pwllheli RNLI said: “These are exciting times at Pwllheli, not just at crew level but also at operational level. The crew over the next two years will be enrolled on training for the new Shannon which is due to arrive in 2020.”

Shannon class lifeboats are a step change in performance compared to the current craft. They are propelled by waterjets instead of traditional propellers, making them the most agile and manoeuvrable all weather lifeboat to date. They are self righting, carry a crew of six, and can achieve 25 knots, even in heavy weather and have a range of 250 nautical miles.