Great Yarmouth MP to write to Minister about a levy on aggregate companies to pay for coastal defences
Marinet member, Mike King, has written to his Member of Parliament, 14th October 2013, to ask whether the offshore marine aggregate dredging companies should be required to pay a levy in order to pay for the coastal defences along the East Anglian coast which are now being required, with a real degree of urgency, in order to combat coastal erosion.
Mike King states in his letter to Brandon Lewis, MP for Great Yarmouth: “…you may recall that I previously asked if you could raise this matter in Parliament and if a levy could be placed on these dredging operations, which are removing massive amounts of material from our coastal seabed altering the natural sediment flux to our beaches, to help pay for beach sand retaining/replenishment measures and coastal defences.”
“The sea bed off this coastline” observes Mike King, “is mobile and further dredging deepening the sea bed in these dredged areas will draw material from adjacent seabed areas which eventually results in beach draw–down causing severe erosion of the adjacent coastline.”
Brandon Lewis has replied to Mike King on 29th October, and states: “As you are aware I have objected to the recent applications for dredging licenses in the North Sea. I have previously contacted ministers in relation to your suggestion for a levy on dredging companies to be used to help pay for coastal protection.”
Mr. Lewis observes: “I will write again to ministers on this issue.”
For a sight of the full correspondence, please visit “here“.
