Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru
The National Assembly for Wales
WRITTEN ASSEMBLY QUESTION
TABLED ON 24 FEBRUARY 2000
FOR ANSWER BY THE SECRETARY FOR
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ENVIRONMENT
ON 1 MARCH 2000
Alun Cairns (South Wales West): What is the proposed amount of sand, over the next 5 and 10 years, to be taken out of the Bristol Channel from the Nash and Helwick Banks individually. (WAQ4024)
Following recent changes to Cabinet portfolios this question has been transferred for answer by the Assembly Secretary For Environment, Planning And Transport
Sue Essex: The current licence to dredge sand from the western end of Nash Bank allows for the removal of a maximum of 900,000 tonnes per annum and runs out in February 2001. An application to dredge the same area for a further 10 years (at the same rate per annum) is expected within the next three weeks.
The current licence to extract sand from the Helwick Bank allows for the removal of a maximum of 150,000 tonnes per annum and expires in May 2003. The company operating the licence has recently requested a relaxation of the condition which restricts dredging to that amount, seeking to increase the take by a total of 300,000 tonnes (in stepped increases of 50,000, 100,000 and 150,000 tonnes) for the remainder of the licence. It is not known whether an application to continue removing sand after 2003 will be made.