PLANS have been unveiled for a new home for a popular lifeguards group.

Christchurch Life Saving Club revealed the designs for a new two-storey hut at the Beach Hut Cafe on Monday evening.

Their current building, at Cliff Drive behind the cafe, is damp and continually requiring fixes including to the roof, windows and doors.

If approved, a period of fundraising would be carried out with hopes of opening the new building in 2020 - the club’s 40th anniversary year.

Alastair Scott, Christchurch Life Saving Club captain, said: “At the moment we’ve got one room for everything so it gets wet and we have to dry it.

“In the new club hut upstairs will be totally dry, it will have a kitchen and toilets. It will better suit our needs and allow us to do winter training.”

As well as the improved facilities for members, the new hut will allow the club to offer more for the local community.

Dan Miller, Christchurch Life Saving Club treasurer, said: “We will be able offer so much more and also cater for more people.

“The balcony we’re putting in will mean we can have a view of our area and start patrolling the beach again.

“This will take the form of helping the RNLI on the beach and if someone is down the club in the evening we can act as a response patrol by signing on with the coastguard.

“If there is an emergency from Highcliffe anywhere down to Hengistbury Head we can help the coastguard.”

Alongside the new venue for the group, the Beach Hut Cafe is seeking to extend its kitchen area out onto land which is currently unused by the life saving club.

Ron Smith, who runs the Beach Hut Cafe with his wife Jo, said the work desperately needs to be done, but stressed the importance of having the support of the local community.

“We’ve been here 11 years and had a fantastic relationship with the life saving club and residents in the area throughout that time,” Mr Smith said.

“The new extension will effectively double the size of our working area.

“It’s a great venture for both parties, taking us forward at the same time.”