Poole Harbour Approach Channel Deepening and Beneficial Use Scheme
Environmental Impact Assessment
Borough of Poole Council as lead Coast Protection Authority and Poole Harbour
Commissioners as Harbour Authority have completed an Environment Impact Assessment
(EIA) for the joint project to deepen the approach channels of Poole Harbour
and use some of the resulting dredgings for beach nourishment on beaches
in Poole Bay.
Earlier in 2004 the initial Scoping
Study for the EIA was made available for consultation.
The harbour works (environmental impact assessment) regulations
1999
Poole Harbour - channel deepening
The Poole Harbour Commissioners have applied to the Secretary of State for
the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), under Section
34 of the Coast Protection Act 1949, for consent to deepen and improve the
approach channels through Poole Harbour that give access for commercial shipping
to the Port of Poole.
In accordance with Regulation 6(3) of the Harbour Works (Environmental Impact
Assessment) Regulations 1999, the Poole Harbour Commissioners have been directed
by the Secretary of State, to supply an Environmental Statement.
Background to the scheme
In order to improve access for vessels, the Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC)
are proposing to deepen the approach channel to the Port of Poole by 1.5m,
to a declared depth of 7.5m below Chart Datum (CD). The deepening is necessary
for several reasons. Primarily, a deeper approach channel is required to
meet the needs of modern ferries, the majority of which now have a minimum
draft of over 6.5 metres. In addition, the proposed dredging would also allow
the Port to retain and possibly increase the existing number of conventional
vessels that currently utilise it. Such vessels are continuing to increase
in size as older vessels are scrapped because goods can be transported more
economically through the use of larger vessels. Another potential benefit
of the proposed dredging is that it would provide opportunity for a greater
proportion of cruise ships to access the Port. In summary, therefore, approach
channel dredging is proposed to accommodate the general trend towards larger
vessels and in order to secure the long term viability of the Port in a safe
manner.
It is proposed that all suitable material arising from deepening the approach
channel would be used beneficially for beach nourishment (i.e. coastal protection)
at Poole, Bournemouth and Swanage. The coast protection authorities for these
areas are Borough of Poole (BoP), Bournemouth Borough Council (BBC) and Purbeck
District Council (PDC), respectively, and these authorities are the promoters
of beach nourishment works within their jurisdiction.
The remainder of the material arising from the approach channel deepening
(i.e. that portion unsuitable for beach nourishment works) would be disposed
of at a nearby offshore disposal ground. The proposed disposal ground is
located at a depth of approximately 20m off Swanage (termed the Swanage disposal
ground); PHC have utilised this site for the disposal of dredged material
from Poole Harbour for more than 50 years. The site is now largely used for
the disposal of silty material that is dredged from Poole Harbour during
routine maintenance works (typically, sandy material from within the Harbour
and approach channel is now used for beach nourishment). However, historically,
this disposal ground has, been used for the disposal of material arising
from capital dredging works that have been undertaken within Poole Harbour
and its approaches, as well as for the disposal of material arising from
dredging in Weymouth.
In summary, the scheme comprises three components; approach channel deepening,
beneficial use of dredged material in the form of beach nourishment and the
offshore disposal of dredged material.
The Environmental Statement and its supporting information are now available
for consultation. These will be submitted in support of the necessary approval
applications to the Department for Transport (DfT) and Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
A copy of the information supplied to the Secretary of State under Regulation
4(1) together with the Environmental Statement may be inspected by members
of the public at Poole Harbour Commissioners, Harbour Office, 20 New Quay
Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4AF, during normal office hours.
The documents will be open to inspection until 7th January 2005. The Environmental
Statement and associated documents may also be obtained, for so long as stocks
last, from:
Poole Harbour Commissioners
Harbour Office
20 New Quay Road
Poole
Dorset BH15 4AF
and costs as follows:
Non Technical Summary - No charge
Environmental Statement including supporting documents -
£120
Full documentation on CD - £10
Or be downloaded from the document links below.
Any person wishing to make representations concerning the application should
do so in writing, to:
Peter Gill
Marine Consents and Environment Unit
Room 309
Eastbury House
30-34 Albert Embankment
London SE1 7TL
or alternatively e-mailed to marine.consents@defra.gsi.gov.uk
within 7 days of the date above (Closing date 14th January 2005) quoting
reference MNA 152/1449/10.
The following supporting documents to the applications are reproduced below
in .pdf format and are downloaded using Adobe Reader V5 or later:
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