Fire-destroyed boathouse near Boulters Lock gets greenlight for rebuild

Rebuilding work to a fire-destroyed boathouse near Boulter’s Lock has been given the green light by a Government planning inspector who overruled a council objection.

Peter Freebodys Yard in Maidenhead, owned by the Hurley-based Peter Freebody company, was partially destroyed by flames which ripped through the historic boathouse in 2018.

When plans were lodged to rebuild the ruined site, fears a protected river bank could be put in jeopardy saw Windsor and Maidenhead council block the proposals.

The Environment Agency had also objected to the major refurbishment project.

But, after revised designs were submitted in an appeal over the council’s ruling, a Government inspector has overturned objections and given the boathouse application the go-ahead.

The inspector said the riverside site’s ‘verdant character’ would be retained and that a rebuilt boathouse would ‘hark back to the area’s industrial background’.

Peter Freebody and Co produces a range of sleek, low-lying wooden vessels, often seen on the Henley to Maidenhead stretch of the River Thames, from its workshop in Hurley.

On its website, the company described itself as ‘a legacy of tradition from one of the oldest boatbuilding names in the world’.

It added: “The Freebody family have been living and working on the middle Thames for over 300 years.”

The company submitted plans to rebuild its workshop beside Boulters Lock Island, ‘re-sit’ a jetty, and construct new docks and slipways following the fire seven years ago. Its plans were met with objections by the Environment Agency, over worries about the impact on biodiversity of a protected riverbank at Boulters Lock Island.

Maidenhead Civic Society, which lobbies on planning applications, also raised fears about the ‘very large increase in size and bulk’ of the workshop compared to the old boathouses.

The boathouse site is in the Maidenhead Riverside Conservation Area (CA), an area with building protections to preserve the town’s riverside history.

“The significance of the CA is derived from its riverside frontage, with its background as a historical riverside resort and river-based industry,” the inspector’s report said.

RBWM councillors initially rejected the boathouse plans in August 2024.

An appeal was then lodged by the company to the Planning Inspectorate, a Government organisation that rules on planning disputes.

Overturning the council’s refusal to grant planning permission this month, the inspector said the new yard would ‘complement the distinctive character of the water frontage’.

The inspector said: “Due to the scale and location of the proposed building, it would be prominently visible within and across the CA from certain viewpoints.

“However, the proposal would re-instate a boatyard within the appeal site, harking back to the industrial background of the site and transport interest related to the River Thames.

“Furthermore, while the proposed building would be larger than the existing buildings, it would be of a simple and sympathetic design, incorporating traditional external materials.

“No important significant trees or vegetation would be removed and so, the verdant character of the area would be maintained.

“This would ensure the proposed development would complement the distinctive character of the water frontage and not cause harm to important views.”