Ambitious plans for a new £500,000 headquarters for Maldon Yacht Club have been unveiled.

The yacht club, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, wants to move to a new purpose-built headquarters off Hall Road, Heybridge.

Under plans being drawn up the club aims to have a new clubhouse, flooded gravel pits for disabled sailors and other facilities for watersports at the 60-acre site.

The plans are being supported by landowner Romford-based Thomas Bates and Son Ltd, which wants to build a hotel and leisure facility at the nearby Hall Road chalet site.

David Sewell, Maldon Yacht Club vice-commodore, said the site had the potential to provide the Maldon area with unparalleled safe sailing facilities.

"It's not a question of if, but when. We are hoping to be down there within the next two years," he said.

Roger Goodchild, managing director of Thomas Bates, said the club approached the firm for help because it was nearing the end of its current lease at the end of Promenade Park.

He said the company was proposing to offer the site to the club for a peppercorn rent on a 99-year lease.

He said outline plans were being drawn up and would be submitted within the next few weeks.

Andrew White, Maldon's director of planning, said: "In the local plan the site cannot not be developed until after 2001 and the chalet site is for low density housing."

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