THE York Rescue Boat wants a floating pontoon to help its work.

The charity has submitted a planning application to have it on existing mooring at Albion Wharfe.

It says its volunteers patrol the Rivers Ouse and Foss, making the city safer with both boat and on foot patrols, as opposed to just responding to emergency calls.

The application to City of York Council continued: “The team is also on call 24 hours a day to provide assistance and specialist equipment to both the police and fire service. This proposal will assist and allow them to continue these services.

“The pontoon will also be made accessible to members of the City’s Sea Cadet Group.”

A similar pontoon was approved at on the site three years ago but it could not be implemented “due to funding and engineering issues.”

The proposed pontoon has been designed by Gray Architectural Design. and would be 12m x 2.6m. with a walkway attached that would rise and fall with the river.

The application added the area was characterised by the mooring of boats so it would be in keeping.

“There is a clear public benefit associated with this application – the provision of a rescue boat service for residents and visitors to the city.”

This outweighed any harm to the conservation area, it also concluded.