Phase 1 complete!

Monday 24 May 2021

The first phase of construction of the new boathouse is complete, with contractors Mackley finishing off outstanding tasks, removing their equipment and tidying up the site. Reside has now taken over the site to construct the boathouse building itself and finish up the outside areas.

Mackley has completed the groundworks in just over seven months tackling some difficult engineering works in a relatively confined space over the winter in sometimes difficult weather and, where necessary, around the tides. Volunteers from the lifeboat crew came down to say thank you to the Mackley crew before they moved on.

The final few jobs for Mackley have been completed, the most obvious of which was levelling and filling the area to the south of the new boathouse with stones. This area will in due course be paved and finished off by Reside. Other tasks included connecting up a fuel delivery line and some reinstatement and repairs to the beach bank path.

Reside has moved the fencing to be just around the site, reopening the beach between the beach bank and current lifeboat house, and the beach between the usual ramp onto the main Wells beach and the lifeboat house, to the public, the latter now with the addition of the new all-weather lifeboat launching ramp. It's great to see people back on the beach and by the lifeboat station again but please note that the current boathouse itself remains closed to the public because of coronavirus restrictions.

Reside will be constructing the new building's frame in June with the aim of the building being weather-tight before winter and a target of March next year for completion.