Tenby Town Council are to write to the National Assembly opposing any plans to dredge sand banks off Worms Head unless "proof could be provided beyond any doubt that the town's beaches would not be turned into rocky wrecks."

As reported in last week's issue, Llanelli Sand Dredging Ltd. has applied to the Crown Estate for a 15-year marine aggregates extraction licence for a 93 km2 area of the Bristol Channel, approximately 10 miles west of Worms Head on the Gower peninsula.

Licences are issued by the Crown Estates as owners of the sea-bed, but as part of the procedure, applicants are required to submit their application to the Welsh Assembly for a Government View on whether the licence should be granted.

Although Tenby was just 12 miles from the most westerly point of the extraction field, it was initially excluded from the consultation process, a matter which caused town councillor and local environmentalist Trevor Hallett some concern.

"The first round of consultation was in October 2001," he told fellow members of Tenby Town Council on Tuesday night. "When the proposed operation was brought to our attention and inquiries were made, we were told that we were not on the list of consultees supplied by the National Assembly - although places further away from the site in Carmarthen Bay and areas of Devon and Somerset were," he said.

Clr. Hallett claimed that there was a great interest in British aggregate because many other countries had banned dredging operations from up to 22 miles off shore because of the "destruction of the ecology of the sea-bed."

"While on closer inspection of the report, dredging off Worms Head will not have the effect on increasing wave action that I first predicted, it will in time alter sea-bed movements," he opined. "Any extensive impact study takes at lease five years to give comprehensive findings."

He noted that Pembrokeshire County Council had suggested that the licence be allowed for five years only and he felt that, if the town council were in agreement with the operation, then this should also be their suggested time frame.

However, he also felt that the Welsh Assembly should be asked for Tenby Town Council to be included as consultees for all future proposals for dredging in the Bristol Channel.

Clr. Mickey Folland pointed out that as long as seven years ago he had expressed concern about dredging in the Bristol Channel.

"At that time they were taking two million tonnes," he said. "What is of greatest concern to me is 'draw down', that is what comes out has to be replaced from somewhere.

"What will the future of our beaches be as a result of 'draw down'?" he asked. "Our beaches are already losing sand which does not appear to be being replaced.

"This causes a lot of concern, not only the loss of sand, but the effects on the food chain.

"I know local fishermen are very concerned, too, and I think we should say no to this."

Deputy Mayor, Clr. Andrew Rees, admitted that, while there was "a lot of good, sensible science in it," he was worried about aspects of the area the impact study did not get right.

"We are talking about them removing a volume equivalent of 400 De Valences every year, which over 15 years gives great cause for concern," he said. "I can't understand why the Welsh Assembly did not contact us about it."

"This is very much a concern," agreed Clr. Stuart Fecci. "I think we should ask the Assembly for proof beyond doubt that our beaches will not end up rocky wrecks through dredging and, if they do, that the dredging companies meet the cost of re-seeding."

Clr. Mrs. Caroline Thomas proposed that the town council write to the Assembly expressing concern, with copies to the AM and MP for the the area.

"Pembrokeshire County Council should have finished their survey into erosion of the South Beach by now," commented Clr. Philip Crockford. "We ought to get a copy and send that along too."