Severn Estuary Aggregate Working Group

The aggregate dredging companies are seeking new licences to extract sand from the Severn Estuary in the area known as the Welsh Grounds and, in particular, Dredging Areas 391 and 385 - see details on Crown Estate map. These particular licences are now issued by the Welsh Assembly. Due to concern that current and historic dredging may have impacted adversely on the South Wales coastline, damaging sea defences between Newport and Cardiff, there is a reluctance in the Assembly to issue new dredging licences until it is clear that aggregate dredging in the Welsh Grounds is not resulting in adverse impact on the coast. In order to provide evidence for this reassurance to the Welsh Assembly, the aggregate dredging companies have set up a Severn Estuary Aggregate Working Group to collect and examine evidence. The Working Group is under the chairmanship of the Crown Estate which owns the seabed.

MARINET has sought membership of this Working Group, and has written a letter to the Crown Estate seeking involvement in the working Group and asking a number of questions relating to the work already undertaken by the Working Group since its establishment in September 2006. The text of the MARINET letter to the Crown Estate, dated 1st July 2007, is provided below.

MARINET letter to the Crown Estate - dated 1st July 2007