PLANS for a £300,000 dining and restaurant boat to be sailed along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal are due to be resubmitted to Craven District Council this week.

The original application for the 60-foot by 14 foot barge had been refused by planners over noise concerns.

The 60-cover boat, named Graceful Swan, is being created from scratch by Malcolm Weaving, 86, owner of the Rendezvous Hotel, where it will be moored on the adjacent canal.

It is currently being built in Lancashire and has been designed by Mr Weaving’s business partner Thomas Randell, who built the hotel, to be used for executive dining, corporate meetings, day trips, family celebrations, hotel residents and exhibitions.

However, the initial plans were rejected under delegated authority by officers who said the vessel would ‘result in an unacceptable impact on the health and quality of life of existing occupants by the way of noise nuisance’.

The application had attracted four letters of objection citing potential noise nuisance and nuisance to other towpath users.

Mr Weaving said he feels all the concerns have been addressed through liaising with a planning consultant and the district council and is ready to resubmit the plans which he hoped will be dealt with by the planning committee.

He said it has been designed to be silent so it will not disturb guests in his own hotel.

It will be powered by a silent 20kn marine water-cooled motor mounted on an anti-vibration box.

It is expected to be run for a maximum of six hours in any 24 hours before needing to be recharged.

Mr Weaving said the Graceful Swan will be the ‘holy grail’ to boost trade over winter which slumps in the hospitality industry.

“The hotel is only half full in January and February and I really feel like I have found the holy grail for the business between these months.

“The boat would not only be good for us but good for the whole of Skipton, Tourism brings a lot of trade to the town,” he said.

He added: “It has been built to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency rules and regulations, also approved by the Canal and River Trust, to ensure it meets all requirements for passenger comfort and safety. Coupled with Rendezvous’ other energy efficiency initiatives, it must be one of the most ecologically friendly hotels in Great Britain.

“All I want is a level playing field with our competitors. I need to have planning permission before I can get a licence.”

He added the boat is designed to build on the’ successful group travel business the hotel is nationally renowned for’.

He said the idea was to make it ‘unique for events, celebrations and corporate activities looking for a memorable experience on our heritage canal in Skipton and Craven’.

Mr Weaving said work to complete the boat has been ongoing and he expects it to be completed by the first week in October and plans a civic launch with local dignitaries on board.

“We have bookings in the second week in October so we need it up and running by then,” he added.