Eastern Channel offers new gravel resource

BRITAIN’s marine aggregate producers have identified an area of the eastern English Channel as a valuable new source of sand and gravel which could secure the future of the industry in this region for several decades to come. The area lies in deeper water (+40m) some 20 miles south of the Sussex coastline.

"The find is being hailed as a potential solution to the increasingly serious shortage of quality licensed reserves for the industry, which satisfies around half of London’s sand and gravel needs and a third of the material needed in the South-East."

"The discovery of substantial reserves comes at a time when many of the industry’s 74 existing licences are nearing the end of their commercial life, having been dredged for nearly 30 years."

"Members of the British Marine Aggregate Producers Association (BMAPA), together with other operators, have held preliminary discussions with government departments and with the Crown Estate with a view to establishing a dredging strategy for the new resource, which covers some 1,000km² of seabed."

"BMAPA chairman Kevin Seaman said: ‘The case for extraction of sand and gravel in the eastern Channel is really a case for homes, schools and hospitals, and for the continuing improvement of our built environment. The role this region has to play in meeting these needs in the future is a crucial one."

"‘However, we recognize that we must co-ordinate our approach and develop our proposals in consultation with the regulatory bodies, the Crown Estate and other stakeholders. A strategic approach will ensure that issues of concern are identified at an early stage so that measures can be taken at a regional level to minimize, mitigate and monitor them."

"‘Co-ordination of effort will also allow the industry to take a wider view with regard to existing licences, giving up those nearer the coastline as resources become exhausted.’"

Mr Seaman stressed that the actual area of seabed to be dredged at any one time would be considerably reduced by effective resource-management plans.

"‘The scale of resources present in the eastern Channel could secure our industry for several decades to come,’ he said. ‘But in keeping with our operations elsewhere, the area actually dredged will form only a small proportion of the total area under application. Therefore, at a national level, we do not expect to be working a larger area of seabed than at present.’"

"Currently the industry’s 74 existing licences cover less than 1% (1,506km²) of the continental shelf. Of this, an area of 179km² was dredged during 2000, with 90% of all dredging activity taking place in just 11.89km²."