MMO considering aggregate applications to extract over 108 million tonnes from the seabed off Great Yarmouth
Currently this year there are already three new marine aggregate dredging licence applications for sites offshore from Great Yarmouth, the applicant in each case being Hanson Aggregates Ltd (MLA/2013/00119, MLA/2013/00306, MLA/2013/00338), all these viewable on the Marine Management Organisation website.
These three applications alone wish to extract up a total of 86 million tonnes (ca. 54 million cubic metres) off Great Yarmouth over the next fifteen years. Now Volker Dredging has filed a new planning application (MLA2013/00417) for this Great Yarmouth offshore area situated just 12 km from the coast for extracting up to another 22.5 million tonnes over the next 15 years. That constitutes the removal of a total of over 108 million tonnes or 68 million cubic metres from these four sites combined!
Some of this aggregate would go to supply the UK construction industry, principally in the London area; much be exported to Europe for construction and beach fill projects, and a smaller amount will be pumped ashore to replenish the many East Anglian beaches eroded principally by the dredging itself.
Is really possible to believe that this level of seabed mining is not having an adverse effect on the coastline and marine ecology in the area? Marinet asks this question because this is what the marine aggregate companies would have you believe, and that’s the version of reality that the Marine Management Organisation (who issue the licences) appears to be accepting.
Were these applications to be permitted, it would mean that a further sixty million cubic metres would be removed from our offshore seabed. The danger is that this deepening will produce even larger waves, thus adversely affecting the beaches and steepening the seabed slope to enhance further shoreline sand run off loss and consequent erosion.
In the past six months, two major storms have levelled out the huge pits left in the offshore dredged areas at the expense of the East Anglian shoreline. Observers have noted that much the coast has lost up to fifteen metres of dune defences and that up to four metres of sand has been stripped from its beaches all along the east coast, from Happisburgh to Felixstowe, so threatening loss of amenity, wildlife, tourist facilities and the imminent loss of many coastal dwellings and businesses.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council, the Parish Councils, Great Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis, Marinet and many hundreds more are objecting to these proposals. Marinet implores all who are reading this to do the same if you wish to see any beaches, coastal properties and seaside amenities remaining in East Anglia
There are 42 days from the 1st November 2013 to object. Hopefully, if a sufficient number of people do so, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) may just take notice this time and consequently refuse these proposals.
Model objections with some points you may wish to include can be seen at https://www.marinet.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Areas-242-361ABC-and-328A-Marinet-to-MMO-13-Oct-13.pdf
Note: If you would like to read Pat Gowen’s Blog, click here.
PG 05/11/’13
