The magnetometer survey of the Goodwin Sands, together with repeat side scan sonar, multi beam echo and sub bottom profiler surveys were completed during the month of May. The MMO have confirmed that the results, which should be available in August, will be the subject of an unprecedented, third, 42 day public consultation period.
We have requested from the MMO and Historic England that we be allowed to have the raw data from these surveys analysed independently as a quality control measure but to date have not received agreement.
We have made FOI requests to The Crown Estate (TCE) regarding the perceived conflict of interest between Royal Haskoning DHV’s two roles – one as manager of TCE’s seabed mineral resources and the other as Dover Harbour Board’s Environmental Impact Assessment consultants. TCE clearly see the Goodwins as a mineral resource to be exploited but they must prove that their position relating to RHDHV’s role on behalf of DHB is both impartial and transparent.
We are including a link to a video interview with Andy Brockman of The Pipeline Info which we hope you will find informative. Our bit starts at 28.15 minutes. Andy is a criminal archaeology journalist who has shown considerable interest in the campaign since its inception last summer.
Last but very much not least, are delighted to announce the addition of Nic Cobb of Cobb Energy Communications to the team as Public Affairs Manager. Nic is based in Dover and brings with him a decade of experience in the events, corporate and political communications industries. He also holds a number of positions in the charitable, political and heritage sectors.
We only have a couple of hundred more signatures to go before reaching 14,000 so please do keep sharing the link and encouraging everyone you know to support this very worthwhile campaign.
Below is a link to a White Paper written by Pete Holt, Director of 3HConsulting Ltd and the SHIPS project, who is based in Plymouth. We hope you will find it interesting reading. This four page report highlights many of the problems associated with geophysical surveys, using evidence from London Gateway (Thames Estuary), Rame Head at Plymouth and the Goodwin Sands. We instructed our lawyers, Richard Buxton Ltd, to send it to the MMO, Dover Harbour Board, MoD (JCCC) and Historic England.
Peter Holt is probably the only man in the country to appreciate both the intricacies of magnetometer surveys and our maritime heritage. The fact that he is prepared to publicly state his opinion clearly demonstrates his conviction over the issue.
If you have a view about any of Peter’s comments we would be delighted if you would please find the time to write to Chris Pater, Head of Marine Planning at Historic England chris.pater@historicengland.org.uk We need to keep up the pressure on them!
Please remember that the petition is still active; we are inching our way towards the 14,000 mark (including our paper signatories) so do share it wide and far, leave no stone unturned. We would love to see it hit 15,000 by the summer!
I am attaching a short article that was published in The Sunday Times on 26th February, which highlights the issues associated with dredging the Goodwin Sands
‘Discovery by dredging’ is not acceptable practice, especially in an area well known to contain the final resting places of young airmen who lost their lives in the service of their countries.
Next week we will be meeting the MMO in London to get an update on the current status of the dredging licence application and to discuss the ‘way forward for future engagement’ between them and us. We have been sending them a steady flow of information over the past few months so it will be interesting to hear what they have to say!
Thank you as always for your continued support and please do keep spreading the word and encouraging everyone you know to sign the petition.
Dover Harbour Board has been requested by the MMO to undertake magnetometer surveys and submit the results for a further public consultation.
This is obviously good news as it shows the campaign is making an impact. However, a magnetometer will only detect ferrous (iron) items, such as cannons or steam ships. It’s no good for finding aircraft parts (aluminium), human remains, palaeolithic archaeology, bronze age boats or Elizabethan sailing ships … a point we will obviously be making to the MMO.
The Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom’s office has acknowledged our request for an investigation into why the dredging licence issued in 1976, for ‘one project only’, was then repeated four times.
So, its onwards and upwards for 2017 – We hope you all have a very happy Christmas and thank you so much for your support over the past months. We couldn’t have got this far without you!
You may not have heard from us recently but our efforts to stop the proposed dredging still continue apace. Last month, the MMO held a meeting with the Ministry of Defence, Dover Harbour Board and their consultants to try to address the MoD’s continued concerns with regard to the Protection of Military Remains Act.
Goodwin Sands SOS was not invited to the meeting as we are not considered primary advisors and we are still awaiting the publication of the Minutes on the public register. At our insistence however, the MMO are hosting another meeting in January with members of the Joint Nautical Archaeological Policy Committee so they can address their own concerns at first hand to the MMO.
In the meantime, research by GWS SOS has unearthed newspaper articles reporting that the first dredging licence issued in 1976 was ‘for one project only’ and would not be ‘the thin end of the wedge for the further taking of sand’. GWS SOS are taking the Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP to task over this and have called for an investigation into why four further dredging licences were issued. An acknowledgement to this request has been received.
We would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and thank you so much for your continued support. We will continue the fight in 2017 and do please remember that the petition is still alive and kicking and waiting to be signed!
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