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Marine Minerals Dredging Regulations

In order to access Marine Minerals Guidance Note 1, see this website at the Communities & Local Government website.

In order to access Marine Minerals Guidance Note 2, see http://www.mfa.gov.uk/pdf/mmg-2.pdf

Placing the Marine Minerals Dredging regulations on a Statutory Basis

After considerable delay, the UK government is placing the Regulations which govern the licencing of offshore marine aggregate dredging on a statutory basis (i.e. a licencing system authorised by Parliament). These new Regulations incorporate the existing non-statutory guidance on licencing procedure (Marine Mineral Guidance Note 1), the EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directives, and the EU Habitats Directive. In addition, the new Regulations also provide for a procedure whereby a Planning Inspector can determine disputed licence applications.

The government department administering these new Regulations (known as the Marine Minerals Dredging Regulations) along with their Procedural Guidance (known as Marine Minerals Guidance Note 2) is the Department for Communities and Local Government (formerly The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister).

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is undertaking a public consultation procedure until 28th August 2006 with regard to these new Regulations, and the new Regulations are expected to be endorsed by Parliament before the end of 2006. The draft of these new Regulations can be viewed at the DCLG website www.communities.gov.uk

MARINET has commented on these draft new Regulations, with comments submitted by Stephen Eades and Patrick Gowen - see documents below. Also listed below are the comments of Patrick Gowen to the National Assembly for Wales and the website address of a summary prepared by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG, formerly ODPM) of the responses received from various interested parties.

 30th July 2006   Stephen Eades' comments

 4th August 2006   Pat Gowen's comments

 3rd December 2006   Pat Gowen and the Welsh assembly

DCLG Summary of responses www.communities.gov.uk/staging/index.asp?id=1504823

 8th July 2007   Letter from Stephen Eades to MFA (formerly DCLG) concerning the response by Government to MARINET's submission of 30th July 2006

 16th July 2007   Letter from MFA which replies to letter dated 8th July 2007.

 20th August 2007   Letter from Stephen Eades to MFA which replies to letter from MFA of 16th July 2007.

 30th October 2007   Letter from MARINET to D.Spooner, MFA reqesting a reply to our letter of 20th August 2007 to the MFA.

 30th October 2007   Letter from MFA which replies to our letter of 20th August 2007 to the MFA.

 16th December 2007   Letter from MARINET to MFA concerning the rights of non-statutory organisations to be informed by the MFA of licence applications received by the MFA.

 2nd January 2008   Letter from MFA which replies to our letter of 16th December 2007. The MFA states that we will be advised of new licence applications.

 21st January 2008   Letter from MARINET to MFA seeking clarification as to whether we will be advised of ALL new licence applications.