Goodwin Sands

Published: 17 October 2022

Dover Harbour Board has announced that it will not be seeking to renew its licence to extract aggregates from the Goodwin Sands which lie a few miles off the coast of Walmer. The Harbour Board intends to seek an alternative, "cost neutral" source of supply.

Cllr Mike Eddy, Chairman of Walmer Town Council said: "This is welcome news for Walmer. While we support improvements to Dover's port, the Goodwin Sands protect Walmer's seafront from the worst of the weather. The Sands are also a haven for marine life as well as being the last resting place of numerous shipwrecks."

A local campaign group, Save our Sands, fought a long campaign against the granting of permission for extraction.

Cllr Eddy added: "Save our Sands may have lost the battle against granting permission but let us hope that they have won the war to protect the long-term future of this remarkable coastal feature."