Sussex Wildlife Trust raises concerns over marina dredging plan

Premier Marinas is carrying out detailed modelling and technical assessments, to establish whether the licensed marine disposal site could be used as an alternative to the long-established site at Rottingdean.

Sussex Wildlife Trust successfully challenged the Marine Management Organisation’s decision to grant a new ten-year licence, allowing dredged sediment to be disposed of within the Beachy Head West Marine Conservation Zone.

The trust said any suggestion that it endorsed using the Newhaven site was not an accurate reflection of its position.

A spokesperson said: “We encouraged Brighton Marina to seek an alternative disposal site as a long-term solution but have not promoted or endorsed the use of the Newhaven site in preference to any other option.

“It’s important to note that the Newhaven disposal site is adjacent to Beachy Head West MCZ and we remain concerned about potential impacts on this marine protected area.

“Our preferred option is a new disposal site offshore, well away from the MCZ.”

The trust said Brighton Marina would be required to consider alternative disposal sites as part of any marine licence application.

It said the suitability of the Newhaven site would need to be assessed and evidenced by Brighton Marina before being scrutinised by the Marine Management Organisation, particularly because the site is already used for dredged material from Newhaven Port.

The spokesperson added: “There is currently no available data or evidence to quantify the environmental impacts of any additional dredge disposal at Newhaven.

“Sussex Wildlife Trust awaits further information submitted by the applicant to determine what the environmental impacts might be, with particular focus on impacts to the adjacent MCZ.

“Until we have this information, Sussex Wildlife Trust does not have a view on whether Newhaven is a suitable alternative disposal site.

“We will respond to any further licence application as and when it is submitted, and our comments will be based on the ecological evidence supplied alongside it.”

Premier Marinas is hoping to submit a marine licence application to the MMO in November, subject to the outcome of its assessments.

It is targeting the return of maintenance dredging at Brighton Marina in spring 2027.

The marina requires regular dredging to maintain navigable depths and safe access.

Dredged material has historically been disposed of at the licensed Rottingdean site, which was established for that purpose before the area was designated as a Marine Conservation Zone in 2013.

In May 2025, the MMO granted Premier a new ten-year licence to continue dredging and disposal at Rottingdean.

However, the licence was subsequently quashed following Sussex Wildlife Trust’s legal challenge over the MMO’s decision-making process.

Premier said there was no finding that Brighton Marina’s dredging operation had caused or would cause environmental harm, but the company was legally required to stop dredging once the licence ceased to have effect.

Premier submitted a separate one-year marine licence application in March 2026 to allow maintenance dredging and disposal at Rottingdean while a longer-term solution was developed. That application remains under consideration.

The marina operator said it had been examining the limited number of alternative disposal sites available.

It said sites to the west of Brighton had effectively been ruled out because they could potentially increase natural sedimentation within the marina.

Premier is now assessing whether the Newhaven site could provide a viable long-term option.

Initial estimates suggest material from Brighton would represent a relatively small increase in the volume already received at the site. The modelling will examine whether the additional sediment could interact with the Marine Conservation Zone.

John Cervenka, chief operating officer at Premier Marinas, said: “Maintaining safe navigational access to Brighton Marina is not optional. It is a legal requirement and fundamental to the operation of the marina and to the berth holders, businesses and other users who rely on it.

“Brighton Marina is also a major centre of economic activity. Hundreds of people rely on the businesses based here, from marine operators and commercial vessels to hospitality, leisure and retail. Finding a dependable long-term dredging solution therefore matters to the whole community and the city of Brighton.

“We’ve been doing a significant amount of work behind the scenes to find that solution. Newhaven is an established marine disposal site and was identified as a potential alternative early in the discussions around Rottingdean.

“We’re now doing the detailed assessments needed to understand properly what using that site would mean, both environmentally and operationally for our dredging delivery partners, before we submit a licence application.”

Premier said almost 150 businesses depended directly on Brighton Marina, including commercial fishing, dive charters, sail training and marine-tour operators, as well as bars, restaurants, leisure and retail businesses.

According to the company, the marina provides direct employment for around 1,200 people and supports economic activity worth around £130 million in gross value added each year.

It also attracts more than eight million visits annually, Premier said.

The company expects its technical assessments and modelling to be completed in October, followed by the submission of a marine licence application in November.

The MMO would then undertake its validation, consultation and determination process, with Premier targeting spring 2027 for the start of dredging under the proposed long-term arrangements.

Premier has briefed Brighton berth holders about the work and said it would continue to keep them informed.

If an application to use the Newhaven site is submitted, the MMO consultation process will give members of the public an opportunity to make representations.

Mr Cervenka said: “People who use Brighton Marina every day have valuable first-hand experience of why reliable navigable access matters. We also believe those who rely on the marina in other ways should be allowed to express their views too.

“It’s important everyone understands the facts behind the proposals as there has been a lot of misinformation about previous activities in the past.

“Having access to the relevant information and being able to contribute their own views through the formal consultation process is important.”