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THE CROWN ESTATE GENERAL DREDGING INFORMATION Further to your phone call of July 7th 2000, I have pleasure in enclosing some information on marine aggregate dredging. The Crown Estate is an estate in land, owning most of the seabed out to the 12-mile territorial limit and minerals rights on the continental shelf. A company wishing to obtain a licence to dredge marine sand and gravel must apply to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). Under the Interim application procedures, awaiting the implementation of the new Environmental Impact Assessment and Habitats (Extraction of Minerals by Marine Dredging) Regulations 1999, an application must include and Environmental Impact Assessment, a Coastal Impact Study and an extensive consultation exercise. Responses from Government Departments, Local and Regional Councils, fisheries organisations and other interested bodies including the general public will be taken into account in the decision-making process. The decision on an application for dredging is taken by the DETR or National Assembly for Wales (NAW) as appropriate. The Crown Estate's role within the context of aggregate dredging is that of a landowner. The Crown Estate will only issue a licence to companies if their applications have been accepted by the DETR/NAW. All conditions of mitigation and monitoring required by DETR/NAV~ are attached to our licences. The Crown Estate funds research projects looking at the environmental effects of marine dredging. We are currently funding projects looking at the cumulative impacts of dredging, the rehabilitation of the seabed following dredging and sediment transport studies, including one in the Bristol Channel due to be published shortly. We are also funding studies into the technologies for mapping seabed habitats, and internet-based meta-databases including MarLin (www.marlin.co.uk) and MAGIS (http://www.sandand/gravel.com). For further information on our research projects and dredging in general, please see our website on www.crownestate.co.uk. I have enclosed some leaflets on research projects we have recently funded for your information. Please let me know if you require any further information. Yours sincerely Ms GEORGIA MARKWELL Marine Estates |