Brighton Marina Dredging License update

By Sarah Ward

Marine Conservation Officer

#StopDumpingOnOurReef

In the autumn, Sussex Wildlife Trust called on you to help us influence the decision over a marine licence to allow Brighton Marina to continue disposing of its dredge spoil into Beachy Head West Marine Conservation Zone.

Although a decision on the licence is yet to be made by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), we want to update you on the process and action we’ve been taking since the end of September.

For the full backstory, please see our previous blog post.

The public consultation closed at the end of September, and since then the MMO has been reviewing all the responses and the licence documentation in order to make an informed decision on whether / how to grant the licence. Although there is no strict timeframe for this process, a decision is usually expected within 13 weeks of the application being validated. This period has already passed, so the process is most likely undergoing further scrutiny.

Since the end of the consultation, Sussex Wildlife Trust has written directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the MMO, Michelle Willis, and the Secretary of State for the Environment, Steve Reed, to raise awareness of our concerns about the licence to a higher level.  You can find a copy of what we sent them here.

Alongside our friends at Surfers Against Sewage, we also met with Chris Ward, the MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, to discuss the implications within his constituency and beyond.

We’re expecting the MMO’s decision in the new year. Although we do not yet know what decision the MMO will take, Sussex Wildlife Trust is ready to continue fighting to protect our Marine Conservation Zone from this harmful activity.