On 6 March 2017 the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) announced a new disposal site was open for marine licence applications for the disposal of dredged material. The MMO has now varied the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s (DIO) licence, which licences the navigational maintenance dredging in and adjacent to Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport, Plymouth.

The variation has changed the disposal site from Rame Head South (PL031) to Plymouth Deep (PL035). Due to increased regulatory burden surrounding the Rame Head South disposal site and in light of the continued requirement for dredging and disposal operations, the MMO has been working with the main users of the site in leading a disposal site characterisation study to identify an optimal, sustainable alternative site for long-term dredged material disposal operations within the River Tamar and Plymouth Sound area. Further information on the South West Disposal Site Characterisation Project.

The marine licence for the maintenance dredge at HMNB Devonport allows DIO to complete one maintenance dredge campaign of the dockyard’s critical areas between now and March 2017. The dredge is required in order to maintain the operational capacity of the Naval Base.

The MMO has now determined the application and a copy of the licence and the supporting assessments have been attached for reference.

Further Information

All marine licence applications are available from the marine licensing public register.

Contact information

Marine Licensing Team

Telephone: 0300 123 1032

Email: marine.consents@marinemanagement.org.uk

Due to increased regulatory burden surrounding the Rame Head South disposal site and in light of the continued requirement for dredging and disposal operations, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has been working with the main users of the site in leading a disposal site characterisation study to identify an optimal, sustainable alternative site for long-term dredged material disposal operations within the River Tamar and Plymouth Sound area.

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) has submitted evidence in support of the proposed site in the form of a Site Characterisation Report. A draft version was consulted on by the MMO as part of a targeted consultation exercise with key stakeholders and advisors. The MMO also made the Site Characterisation Report available on the selected cases page of its website and a period of public consultation took place between 29th November and 23rd December 2016. An Addendum to the Site Characterisation Report has been produced to respond to representations received by the MMO which required a technical response.

The MMO has produced an Evaluation Report which details the conclusions drawn from a review of the evidence submitted, as well as evidence submitted during the consultation period. The MMO has reviewed multiple factors within the Evaluation Report, including environmental, economic and social aspects. Factors included, but are not limited to, the cost to dredging operators with regards to transit times to new sites, the impact on marine ecology, and marine protected areas.

The MMO has considered all available information and concluded that the proposed new disposal has been properly assessed for dredged material. Plymouth Deep (PL035) is now open for marine licence applications for the disposal of dredged material.

Harwich Haven Authority (HHA) is seeking to have a new dredged material disposal site designated. Some of the dredged material is used in beneficial reuse schemes with the remainder disposed of at a licensed offshore disposal ground called Inner Gabbard located about 30km east of Harwich. HHA believe that a disposal site closer to shore would help reduce carbon dioxide emissions, steaming time and fuel.

The MMO has granted Harwich Haven Authority a marine licence that permits 2 trial disposals of 500,000 cubic metres of dredged material arising from maintenance dredging at Harwich and Felixstowe Harbour. The trial disposal site is referred to as the Harwich Haven disposal site (Cefas Site Code: TH027).

A condition of this licence is that monitoring data is collected during the course of the two trial disposal campaigns and a Monitoring Report is submitted to the MMO within four months of completion of the two trial campaigns. This Monitoring Report can be viewed on this page.

The monitoring report aims to provide the information necessary to inform the MMO’s assessment of the suitability of the proposed new site for designation to receive future dredged material.

The MMO is not obliged by statute to consult publically on this issue but the MMO has always been of the view that the general public and not just known stakeholders should have the opportunity to make representations.

If you would like to make a representation please make sure that you do so in writing using the contact details on this page. Representations should quote reference L/2013/00392.

The Committee holds open meetings that members of the public may attend to observe and ask questions.