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Llanelli Sand Dredging Ltd

Latest News / Non Technical Summary

Aggregate Production Licence Application, Area 373, Helwick Bank
Environmental Statement

Non Technical Summary

16 January 2003

INTRODUCTION

1.1 AGGREGATE PRODUCTION LICENCE APPLICATION

Llanelli Sand Dredging Limited (LSDL) has applied for a production licence for 15 years from the Crown Estate for the extraction of marine aggregates from a site south of Worms Head off the Gower Peninsula, South Wales. The proposed licence area is shown in Figure 1.1 (PDF file 525KB).

This Non Technical Summary (NTS) is part of an Environmental Statement (ES) that has been prepared by Environmental Resources Management (ERM). The ES reports on the results of an assessment of the environmental impacts of the proposals. The ES, together with a Coastal Impact Study (CIS), prepared by Hydraulics Research Wallingford Ltd, has been submitted with the production licence application as required under the consent procedure for marine aggregate dredging.

The NTS provides an overview of the proposals, and their potential effects upon the environment and the measures that would be taken to minimize these.

1.2 THE CONSENT PROCEDURE

Marine dredging licences are issued by the Crown Estate. As part of the consent procedure, applicants are required to submit a licence application, along with supporting documentation, to the Welsh Assembly Government (the Assembly) in order to obtain a Government View on whether a licence should be issued.

The procedure requires that licence applications are advertised and interested parties, including Government departments, agencies and other bodies, are consulted on the proposals. Representations received from interested parties are considered by the applicant who seeks to resolve any concerns through discussion or correspondence. The applicant prepares a report summarising the consultees' comments and discussions and arranges for a supplementary Environmental Statement to be prepared, outlining how the concerns of consultees were addressed and including a draft schedule of licence conditions. If a favourable Government View is issued, the Crown Estate, as owner of minerals on the seabed, is permitted to issue a production licence, which would include the agreed schedule of conditions.

1.3 OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT

If you have received the NTS and would like to see the full ES, it is available for inspection during normal working hours at the following offices:

Carmarthenshire County Council
Environment and Economic Development Department
Council Offices
40 Spilman Street
Carmarthen
SA31 1LQ
Tel: 01267 224 655

City and County of Swansea
Planning Department
County Hall
Oystermouth Road
Swansea
SA1 3SN
Tel: 01792 635 735

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
Planning Department
Neath Civic Centre
Neath
SA11 3QZ
Tel: 01639 763333

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Winch Lane
Haverfordwest
Pembrokeshire
SA61 1PY
Tel: 01437 764636

Pembrokeshire County Council
Planning Department
County Hall
Haverfordwest
Pembrokeshire
SA61 1PY
Tel: 01437 764551

Copies of the ES are available on request from the addresses given below. A charge of £40 will be made as a contribution towards the costs of reproduction. Copies of the CIS are available from ERM at a cost of £40. The ES and CIS are also available on a CD at a cost of £10 plus VAT. Copies of the NTS are available free of charge from ERM.

ERM
Norloch House
36 King's Stables Road
Edinburgh, EH1 2EU
Tel - 0131 478 6000 Fax - 0131 478 3636
E-mail - wendy.fraser@erm.com
ERM contact - Wendy Fraser

If you wish to comment or make representations on the licence application, please write within 10 weeks of the date of publication of this document to ERM at the above address.

2 THE PROPOSALS

2.1 The Production Licence Application Area

Llanelli Sand Dredging Ltd (LSDL) has dredged sand from the Helwick Bank off the Gower Peninsula, South Wales (Area 373) for the last 10 years. The location of the Licence is shown on Figure 1.1. The licence allows for 150,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) for a 5 year period ending in June 2003. LSDL has applied for an extension to the licence to 300,000 tonnes per annum for 15 years.

The seabed sediments of the Helwick Bank area (Gibb, 1997 and HR Wallingford, 1997) are uniform, medium-fine sands with little or no (ie generally <1%) fine or organic material. Sand-waves are present along the flanks of the Bank indicating that sand transport is occurring. To the south of the Bank, an area of megaripples (large ripples of sand on the seabed surface) merges to the west with an area of sand-waves and gravelly sand.

The resource is suitable for a wide range of end uses including the manufacture of concrete, general building and construction, beach nourishment, coastal defences and as fill for reclamation projects.

The production licence application is for a maximum of 4.5 million tonnes over a 15 year licence term, based on the extraction of 300,000 tonnes per year.

2.2 EXTRACTION METHODS

Aggregate extraction would be carried out using a trailer-suction-hopper-dredger such as the Sospan. This type of dredger trails a suction pipe along the seabed while moving forward at speeds of 1 to 3 knots. The draghead creates shallow furrows 1-2m in width on the seabed. In sandy sediments the draghead removes approximately 0.2 to 0.3m of material each time it passes over the seabed. The dredging within the Helwick Bank Licence is confined to a relatively small (0.3km2), approximately rectangular, sub area of the licence on the north side of Helwick Swatch.

The sediment would be pumped directly from the seabed into a hopper on the dredger where it would be stored before being transported to shore. For construction aggregate, the material would be stockpiled onshore before sale. The high quality of the resource is such that no onshore treatment, washing or grading before sale would be required.

The main activities that take place in the licence application area are the existing aggregate extraction operations. The licence application area is within the Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC), a site of European importance for nature conservation.

2.3 EXTRACTION PROGRAMME

The extraction of 300,000 tonnes of fine aggregate would be obtained by more intensive dredging of the existing licensed area. There should be provision to roll forward any unused tonnage on an annual basis.

To extract 300,000 tonnes on the Helwick Bank using the Sospan would take an estimated 286 trips equating to no more than 300 hours of dredging in total. In order to optimise vessel occupation, it would be likely that dredging would be undertaken with possibly 2 to 3 campaigns each year, each of 7 to 11 weeks duration.

2.4 NEED FOR THE PROPOSALS

Marine aggregates are expected to remain an important resource within the United Kingdom, and are likely to continue to provide a significant proportion of the aggregates used in South Wales. There is a lack of existing sustainable alternative sources of fine aggregates to supply the South Wales market and there would be substantial difficulties in developing new land-based fine aggregate resources. It is anticipated that some other coastal aggregate sources will be closed by 2010 leaving a significant deficit in supply. Welsh Assembly Government Policy is encourage licensing of areas further offshore, such as the Nobel Banks area, for which LSDL have submitted a licence application. However, such offshore sites are located in deeper water and their technical and commercial viability is yet to be proven.

Dredging on the Helwick Bank complies with the recommendations of the Symonds Report (2002), the Marine Aggregate Dredging Policy and a recent policy statement by the Welsh Assembly Government, providing adequate environmental information is provided to confirm that adverse environmental impacts would not occur.

2.5 AGREED KEY MITIGATION MEASURES

LSDL would implement the following mitigation measures to reduce the impact of the proposals. The environmental assessment takes these measures into account:

1. The dredging vessels to be used would be fitted with a DGPS that would allow accurate positioning of the vessel within 1m. This would allow the resource to be targeted accurately and avoid interference with other seabed users and structures.
2. Any dredging vessel would also be fitted with an EMS to ensure that dredging operations were kept within the agreed licence area. The EMS, which would be monitored by the Crown Estate, would record the vessel's position every 30 seconds during dredging operations and whilst in transit to and from the licence area.
3. The dredging vessel would be equipped with the appropriate navigation and warning equipment (lights, fog warnings, radar and VHF radio) and would comply with the requirements of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (1972).
4. Access by other vessels to the licence area would be restricted during the periods of dredging activity. At all other times, there would be no restriction to activities throughout the whole of the licence area.
5. A programme of environmental monitoring would continue to be carried out by LSDL. The scope of the monitoring would be agreed with the Assembly and DEFRA, and would be specified in the licence conditions.
6. International Safety Management (ISM) procedures for dealing with potential collision and pollution scenarios that could result, would be put in place within LSDL and would include Emergency Response Plans (ERPs).
7. A record of accidents and near misses would be maintained by LSDL to allow procedures to be reviewed.
8. Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders would be installed in accordance with statutory requirements on any dredger operating in the area. This system identifies particular vessels operating in the area to other vessels in the area which have this system installed. This would increase the likelihood of other vessels passing through the area knowing that a vessel was dredging and allow them to plan their route accordingly.
9. Adherence to the Joint Nautical Archaeology Policy Committee (JNAPCC) code of practice regarding potential archaeological interest.
10. If cetaceans or pinnipeds are observed close to the dredging operations care would be taken to reduce the risk of collision.

3 IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSALS

The effects of the proposals on the physical environment are summarised below.

3.1 PHYSICAL PROCESSES

Helwick Bank has remained a stable feature over the recent geological past and during modern times. Sand is deposited by tidal currents on the Bank mainly from Cardiff Bay and the presence of sand-waves on the flanks of the Bank indicate ongoing sediment transport. A programme of monitoring has been undertaken by LSDL of the bathymetry of the Bank and the profiles of local beaches along the Gower Peninsula Coast. This monitoring has not identified any permanent changes in the topography of the Helwick Bank ie from year to year there is no depression in the seabed coinciding with most frequently dredged area. Nor has the monitoring on beaches established a link between volume and beach profile changes, and the dredging activities. The dredging removes a relatively constant amount of material every year. However, the overall volume of the Bank and of the beaches fluctuates widely, decreasing in some years and increasing in others. The scale of these changes in the beaches and the Helwick Bank is significantly larger than the scale of the dredging.

Specific concerns have been raised concerning the recent exposure of previously buried hard substrata on Port Eynon Bay beach. Examination of historical Ordnance Survey maps have demonstrated that these exposures have also occurred during periods which pre-date dredging on the Helwick Bank. The exposure tends to coincide with the occurrence of shifts in major climatic patterns which promote winter storminess and therefore erosional storm waves.

Based on the above, it is concluded that there are no unacceptable impacts from the present operations. LSDL would gradually increase the tonnage of material extracted to 300,000 tonnes with annual monitoring continuing to identify any impacts at an early stage. If it became apparent that impacts were occurring, then the dredging plan would be reviewed and modified.

The assessment of the potential impacts that might result from the proposed dredging operations on the physical environment of the Helwick Bank has shown that:

1. tidal currents would be slightly altered in the immediate area of the depression created by the dredging due to the changes in bathymetry, but modelling predicts there would be no appreciable difference in currents outside the dredging area;
2. wave conditions at adjacent shorelines along the Gower coastline would be unaffected by the proposed dredging;
3. the protection of the adjacent shoreline which the Helwick Bank provides would be unaffected by the proposed dredging; and
4. no cumulative impacts with other dredging activities or the effects of climate change are anticipated.

3.2 WATER QUALITY

Sand would be temporarily released into the water during dredging activities, resulting in a temporary and slight increase in localised suspended sediments and turbidity. The coarser material (above 0.125mm) would settle out rapidly affecting only a small area around the dredger path, but fine sediments (<0.063mm) would take longer to settle and would form a plume extending along the direction of the prevailing tidal current.

There is only a very small proportion (<1%) of fine sediment in the seabed material of the Helwick Bank and there are no known areas of contaminated sediment within the Helwick Bank area. Suspended solids from dredging would be likely to add to background levels for a short period of time and distance from the dredge site prior to decreasing as a result of the sediment settling out of suspension and mixing with un-impacted waters. Impacts on water quality would therefore be limited in degree, extent and duration.

3.3 THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

The Helwick Bank is located within the Carmarthen Bays and Estuaries cSAC. The evidence suggests that the increase in the size of the dredging licence would not have any unacceptable impacts on the species and habitats which are located within the cSAC or any of the features for which it is designated. Specifically, the results of the CIS indicate that there would be no significant physical impacts to coastal areas or on the structure and topography of the Bank. The proposed licence area is considered not to be an important feeding area for birds and no impacts on birds or on sites designated for their bird interests are expected.

Disturbance to seabirds, sea mammals and fish due to the presence of the dredging vessel would be of short duration and magnitude taking into account the scale and duration of the dredging operations and the existing levels of shipping traffic in the area.

The dredging operations would have a direct impact on seabed habitats and the associated animal communities. The seabed habitats and the types and numbers of animals identified during a field survey carried out in 2000 showed that the dredging areas are generally similar to the surrounding area and other sand banks in the coastal waters of the British Isles. A few species found were considered to be rare and have been recorded infrequently. However, the seabed communities and species are adapted to sediment disturbance, which would occur naturally on the Helwick Bank during storms.

The main impacts would be in the areas directly affected by the dredger's suction device (the draghead), with a lesser impact extending to other areas in the vicinity of the dredging due to the deposition of suspended sediments. The affected areas would recover as they become re-colonised by animals from the surrounding areas. Re-colonisation by animals that are suited to living in disturbed sediments would likely be rapid, but it could take some time for seabed animal communities to become fully re-established.

The removal of seabed animals in the dredged areas would result in a reduction in the available food resources. It is considered, however, that this reduction would be small in relation to the potentially available food resources from similar habitats in the area.

Important species such as salmon and sea trout are able to move away from unfavourable conditions, and impacts on potential migration routes are not expected, given the scale and duration of the dredging operations.

It is considered that the dredging activities would not have a significant cumulative impact on the natural environment when combined with other activities ongoing in the area.

3.4 COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHING

The exclusion of fishermen from the active dredging zones would have a direct impact on fishermen who fish regularly within the licence application area. No fishermen work exclusively in the area and since dredging operations would only take place in a small area and for short periods each year, it is considered that the exclusion of fishermen from the area being dredged would not affect the commercial viability of any fishing activities.

The main impact to fisheries would be the loss of and damage to habitats and benthic (bottom dwelling) communities which are important for commercial species. A small area of seabed would be affected and the impacts caused would be small and relatively short-lived. No significant secondary impacts on commercial fish species are anticipated.

The ongoing fishing activities within the proposed licence area already have an impact on fish, shellfish and their habitats. The proposals would result in some further impacts but no significant cumulative impacts on the viability of fisheries are anticipated.

3.5 DREDGING AND DUMPING ACTIVITIES

There would be no impacts to ongoing aggregate extraction and dredge spoil disposal operations as these are all some distance from the Helwick Bank. The dumping operation at Swansea Bay is sufficiently distant not to cause any impact on the quality of dredged material from Helwick Bank.

3.6 SHIPPING AND NAVIGATION

Area 373 is not close to any major shipping lane. The vessels passing through this area mainly comprise small recreational and commercial fishing vessels.

Normal maritime navigation procedures would be observed and it is predicted that no routine impacts would occur on shipping and navigation in the area.

3.7 INDUSTRIAL AND SUBMARINE MANMADE INSTALLATIONS

There are no submarine structures within the boundary of Area 373.

3.8 MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

No records of any wrecks or non-wreck sites (sunken archaeology formerly on dry land) of archaeological importance have been identified within the vicinity of the licence application area.

No adverse impact on coastal archaeology or historic sites is anticipated from the proposed dredging operations. Impacts on any unknown sites that might be of archaeological and historical importance would be reduced by adoption of the JNAPC Code of Practice in the event of discovery of items or sites.

3.9 LEISURE, RECREATION AND AMENITY

Tourism is recognised as one of the most important sectors in the local area.

Helwick Bank is approximately 2km from the nearest coast. The proposed licence area is considered not to be particularly important for small leisure craft and other users such as divers, kayakers and wind surfers. For larger pleasure craft on passage through the area, the presence of a dredging vessel is considered not to present a significant hazard as the vessel would comply with the requirements of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and would be present for relatively short operational dredging periods.

Localised and short-lived elevated levels of suspended sediment would be expected when the dredger is working, as a result of the dredging plume and overspill discharge. Given the distance of the operations from coastal areas, no impacts on bathing water quality are predicted.

The intermittent presence of a dredging vessel would have no noise or visual impact on people on the coast.

Dredging on the Helwick Bank would not alter the patterns of sediment transport and deposition in the coastal areas of the Gower Peninsula and there would be no impact from the dredging proposals on any beaches.