1. Regional Monitoring Programme Developments to Date
Louise Bridges
Marine Licensing Manager
Hanson Aggregates Marine Ltd

2. Context
Minerals are essential, and represent the largest material flow in the GB economy

3. Construction aggregates represent the largest of these flows:
GB construction aggregates: 225 Mt pa (2015), of which:
63 Mt secondary/recycled aggregates (29%)
162 Mt primary aggregates (71%)
Equivalent to c.4t per person each year

4. The sector forms the foundation of the supply chain for the construction sector, which represents c.5% GB economy

5. GB Construction Aggregate Supply – A Mix of Primary, Recycled and Secondary Resources

6. Marine Aggregates by Numbers
Over 900M tonnes dredged since the 1950’s
19.47Mt dredged from 37mt permitted (2015)
13.23Mt landed in England/Wales
4.01Mt used for coast defence/fill
2.15Mt landed in Europe
8% GB primary aggregates
25% Sand and gravel output in England
35% Primary aggregate demand in London & SE England (where 1/3rd £144 billion GB construction activity takes place)
>50% Primary aggregate demand in London

7. Dredging Locations by Region

8. Why Regional Monitoring
A regional approach to monitoring & management has the potential to enable the delivery of more cost effective and consistent compliance data and therefore support better regulation
Better for operators
Better for regulators
Better for statutory advisors
Regional working
saves time & effort
saves cost
delivers a consistent outcome
Similar benefits to regulators & advisors – best use of resources
Standard conditions for all marine mineral licences agreed between MMO, advisors and industry – defines a model compliance programme.

9. Standard ‘Model’ Compliance Programme
A new regional monitoring approach aligns all licences on the same baseline requirement
This removes the dislocation of delivery milestones on a licence by licence basis
A regional “stagger” allows for management of delivery
Regional Monitoring – employed to provide impact data and information regarding natural variability in ecosystem
Pre-dredge – all elements
Interim – bathymetry/sidescan & benthic
Post-dredge – all elements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 
Licence Specific Monitoring – where required to address isolated sensitivity
Specification as per sensitivity
Year of Dredging
Reviews – includes submission of regional and licence monitoring reviews
Substantive reviews
Interim – bathymetry/sidescan,

10. Delivery of Regional Monitoring
Regional survey timelines:
South Coast
Anglian & Thames
Humber
Bristol Channel, North East & North West – tbc
ECR to continue on established timeline
Establishment of Regional Associations
Each association responsible for implementation, management and delivery of their regional survey
Marine sand and gravel – small but important contribution to GB primary aggregate requirements – a.6% GB primary aggregate demand and 19% sand & gravel requirements in England & 46% Wales
Importance grows at a regional scale – 90% S Wales, 20% S/G in North East, 1/3 primary aggregates in South East, 50% aggregates in London
Why do we need marine? Two reasons
s/g low value, high bulk commodity – sensitive to transport costs
Marine – ability to transport large volumes of essential materials into the heart of coastal urban areas, close to where they are required. Cost effective and environmental benefits (reduced road traffic)
Large dredger – 5,000t equivalent to 250 lorries. River Thames receives 20,000t/day 24/7 – 1000 lorry loads
Because of the ability to transport in bulk over large distances, marine can be used to fill gaps in demand as a result of constraints in the availability of terrestrial sources – in London and SE it is sand and gravel, in South Wales and Irish Sea it is natural sand.

11. Current Position - RSMP
All available data has been plotted, and through faunal analysis, 12 distinct communities identified which can be found in different areas around the UK, corresponding with sediment types.
A statistical test (Mahalanobis Distance) then allows for further analysis of the data to show “pass” or “fail” based on whether the sample has changed from one assemblage type to another.
However it is important to note that a “fail” is just a statistical flag to highlight that further investigation is needed, not an environmental fail
Many reasons for failure, not just a result of dredging
Thames Barrier

12. Current Position - RSMP
The contract for the second RSMP survey on the South Coast has been awarded
Survey planned for Q3 2017
Provision of results by Cefas from the baseline surveys for reporting purposes
Cefas to develop an App to allow contractors to process data themselves (MD test)
Thames Barrier

13. Current Position - RGMP
The contract for the baseline geophysical survey on the South Coast has been awarded
South Coast baseline RGMP survey planned for Q2 & Q
Thames Barrier

14. Future Plans Keith Cooper to publish peer reviewed paper
“A big data approach to macrofaunal baseline assessment, monitoring and sustainable management of the seabed”
Development of new good practice guidance by industry and TCE in consultation with MMO and advisors
Demonstrable continued need for guidance to provide baseline position
Thames Barrier

15. Future Plans
Confidence & certainty in policy, planning and permitting informs long-term investment
Hanson Aggregate Marine Ltd investing in two new ships – due to be in service 2019 (circa €70 million)
Hanson UK investing in pre-cast & concrete plant for supply of major infrastructure projects; e.g. Thames Tideway, Crossrail 2

16. Any Questions?