PLANS to turn a former lifeboat station into a museum were revealed last night.

Councillors are leading a bid to stop Hoylake lifeboat station’s old premises being taken over and turned into offices.

They are hoping a proposal to sell off land around the building could be overturned next week.

The RNLI moved out of the station after 110 years in November 2008 when a new custom-built life boat station was opened 500m away.

The old building was owned by developer Peel Holdings and leased to the RNLI on a nominal “peppercorn” rent, but land around it was owned by Wirral Council.

The sale of that land along with the station was agreed by councillors last month.

With spectacular views of the Dee Estuary, the empty building has been seen as an irresistible development opportunity.

Now the decision to sell the land will be scrutinised by councillors.

Hoylake councillor Gerry Ellis, who is leading calls for the sale to be revoked, said he believed the building should not be handed over for commercial use.

He said: “We would oppose any commercial application for this property. We still think we can find funding to open it as a lifeboat museum.”

He said a resident has some old lifeboats in storage which could form the centrepiece of the museum.

Cllr Ellis said: “It is a challenge because we have to find funding to buy the building.

“But we do not want it used for commercial storage – we believe it could be put to better use.”

Cllr Ellis successfully asked for the sale decision to be scrutinised and a council committee will now meet at Wallasey town hall on Monday June 14.

A council report – which has had commercially sensitive information removed so it can be heard in public – said the council-owned land around the lifeboat station was “declared surplus and agreement to a joint disposal with Peel Holdings was approved”.

The report said the council had received six offers to be split with Peel on a 50/50 basis, “less legal and other disposal costs”.