Save Our Sands - Says Swansea Administration

1.44.21pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 11th Sep 2007

Council Leader, Chris Holley and Councillor Richard Lewis on Port Eynon beach

Swansea's ruling Administration has rejected charges that the Council failed to support anti-dredging campaigners at a recent public enquiry as malicious nonsense.

They are responding to charges made by Labour Assembly Member Edwina Hart that the council did not request an immediate end to dredging in their submission to the public inquiry.

Commenting on the charge Council Leader Chris Holley said: "The Council has clear policy to oppose any further dredging from the Helwick bank and this was reflected in our submission to the public enquiry. We were opposed to the 15-year dredging application because we are concerned about the long term impact of sand depletion from local beaches. We employed a barrister and provided expert evidence, both at great expense to support our case at the public inquiry."

"What seems to have caused the confusion was the Council's fallback position. We argued that if the Inspector was minded to recommend approving the licence then it should only be for a very limited period of two years on the basis that this would enable detailed monitoring to take place to assess the impact of dredging. We believe monitoring of the impact of dredging in the area is vital before any further applications are considered and would have preferred no dredging at all if that was possible. However, we had a duty to consider all scenarios and to make representations accordingly" he added.

Gower Councillor Richard Lewis said "We are disappointed by the outcome of the inquiry and we would not support any further dredging applications until the results of the detailed monitoring are known. As it happens the Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition government went further than we had envisaged they would and granted a licence for seven years and the extraction of 150,000 tonnes of sand. That could well be an environmental disaster for Gower."

ENDS

Notes to editors;

1. The license was issued by the National Assembly for Wales in September 2007, but there are various conditions in place before dredging can start. Once dredging starts it may continue for a period of 7 years, but only subject to these conditions.

2. A full baseline study of the current levels of sand is in place before dredging can start. This is followed up with an annual review of sand levels and a substantial review of the whole dredging regime after 3 years.

3. Cllr Richard Lewis is the Councillor for Gower Ward, which includes Port Eynon Beach, which is arguably the most affected beach.

4. Attached, a photo of Cllr Chris Holley (Leader of City & County of Swansea) and Cllr Richard Lewis on Port Eynon Beach.