17 Jan 2013
A Berkshire rowing club that was devastated by a fire is waiting to see if it has permission to build a new £2.5 million facility.
Marlow Rowing Club, which is where five-time Olympic champion Sir Steve Redgrave started his rowing career, is hoping it will be given the green light for a new watersports centre almost 18 months after the club was destroyed by a blaze.
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead councillors are expected to give the proposals, which have been backed by Redgrave, the go ahead.
If they do, the new facility is expected to be finished by March next year with the existing building being demolished.
The club is currently waiting to find out whether it has been successful with a £1m funding bid to Sport England after raising £850,000. A further £300,000 is still needed.
Chris Lenton, a fundraising committee member at the rowing club, lost his own £7,500 boat in the fire and he told the BBC how badly the blaze affected the club.
“We lost 60 boats in the fire. I was pretty upset because I was thinking about all the history and memorabilia in the club,” he said.
“We managed to save about 80% of it but it was very upsetting.”
Copyright Press Association 2013