Opposition to dumping sediment in protected area

Thousands have objected to plans to dump dredged sediment in a protected marine area, according to a charity.

Sussex Wildlife Trust said that more than 6,000 people responded to a public consultation on whether Brighton Marina should dispose of material in the Beachy Head West Marine Conservation Zone.

The charity said the practice risked harming the "nationally important wildlife hotspot" running parallel to the coast from Brighton to Eastbourne.

Premier Marinas, which owns Brighton Marina, said that dredging was needed to make the site safe for boats.

"This is a tightly regulated activity," a Premier Marinas spokesperson said.

"All dredged sediment is tested and subject to strict licensing controls."

Campaigners previously complained that a "black, thick, slimy, petrochemically smelling sludge" filled rock pools after dumping.

There have been protests against the practice.

Premier Marinas said dredged sediment was not harmful to the environment.

Sarah Ward, from the Sussex Wildlife Trust, called the response to the consultation by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) "remarkable".

She said that it sent a "very clear message about how seriously the public takes the protection of our Marine Conservation Zones".

A report said that the Beachy Head West Marine Conservation Zone was home to communities of specialised animals and seaweeds, including the rare short-snouted seahorses.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) said that all responses to the consultation – which closed on 6 April – would be "carefully considered".

They will be published on a public register in due course, it added.

Premier Marinas applied for a one-year interim licence to dredge the marina in March after its previous application was quashed on procedural grounds.

It said that the temporary licence was needed while a "longer-term solution" was determined.

"We recognise that people care deeply about the local marine environment, and we share that concern," spokesperson Katie Sullivan said.

"Brighton Marina has operated alongside this coastline for decades, and protecting it is fundamental to how we operate."

The MMO will now decide on whether dredging can go ahead.

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