In November the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) received a licence application from Boskalis Westminster Ltd to carry out maintenance dredging activities at Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport.
The application covers dredging and disposal activities from 2014 to 2016 to maintain the operational and navigation depths in the approaches, berths and basins at HMNB Devonport.
The MMO is currently considering the application and will assess the suitability of the application – and the disposal site specifically – before a decision is made. They will also take into account any conservation objectives of the nearby marine conservation zone (MCZ), Whitsand and Looe Bay MCZ, acting in line with the guidance on MCZs and licensing.
The disposal site is chosen by the applicant and the MMO determine whether the disposal site is suitable to be used based on the information provided in the application. This includes the type and quantity of the material to be disposed.
“ A public consultation is also underway to ensure we take all views into account. This began on 30 November, and will run for 28 days. We then expect to make a decision in early 2014 ,” they announced.
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Press Release, December 10, 2013