A BOATYARD owner threatened to appeal against the council’s decision to block his planning application as he missed his 37th wedding anniversary to hear the decision.

Applicant Keith French, who was awarded an MBE for his services to the passenger boat industry, had outline plans to build a riverboat slipway and drydock in Wraysbury with CCTV and security patrol to deter fly-tippers turned down.

But he told councillors he will seek to overturn the Windsor and Ascot development management panel’s refusal to build a boatyard along the River Thames.

The proposal was needed in order to meet the demand for annual statutory boat inspections, particularly for larger commercial craft operating on the non-tidal Thames.

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A previous refused scheme which included a first-floor apartment for security officers was removed after planning officers were concerned about the safety risk due to the site being in a high chance of flooding zone.

With this new plan, planning officers say the boatyard will harm the green belt with no very special circumstances to outweigh this impact.

Speaking at the meeting on Wednesday, September 7, Mr French, who bought the site in 1989, explained the area has been left derelict for years and is a former industrial gravel extraction site, which has been blighted with fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour.

He said: “I sought to address the points cited by the planning officer for recommending refusal last year.

“If this is refused for the second time, I will commence appeal proceedings. However, conscience of my age, I will also instruct my agent reluctantly to put the site on the market and simply walk away from it.”

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He added: “I’m very passionate about this project. So much so that in order to demonstrate my commitment, I’ve broken with tradition to be able to speak to you all today and answer any questions you may have for today is my 37th wedding anniversary and I have always taken my wife out for dinner to celebrate this occasion.

“I do hope she will forgive me for prioritising this matter.”

But councillors were unanimously in favour of the officer’s recommendation and refused the scheme for the second time.