SAFETY fears have seen an exclusive Hampshire yacht club's plan to improve its access to the River Hamble thrown overboard by a government inspector.

The Royal Southern Yacht Club has been told it will not be allowed to build a new link pontoon to its 18-vessel private moorings.

The Hamble-based club, which claimed the permanent extension would increase the yachting mecca's chances of hosting prestigious events, had appealed to the government after Eastleigh Borough Council backed up the concerns of smaller boat users.

They feared the pontoon, which had been approved by the River Hamble harbour management sub-committee, would have cut off a channel used by dinghy and small boat users launching from the nearby public jetty.

Those users would then have been forced into the main channel, where they would have been at risk from much larger vessels navigating the waterway.

It was a concern shared by government planning inspector Graham Dudley, who has dismissed the Rope Walk club's appeal.

In making his decision, Mr Dudley said: "I consider that the main issue in this case is the effect of the proposal on safety and ease of navigation of the River Hamble.

"The benefit that would be gained by a small number of people is significantly outweighed by the likely harmful effect the proposal would have on the ease of navigation and safety of a significant number of other users of the river."

Mr Dudley added that major yachting events could still be held in the area by installing a temporary pontoon, when needed.

Barry Peddley, flag officer at the club, said: "We were disappointed by the decision but clearly we accept the inspector's findings."