Human impacts on coastal defences
aggregate extraction
SANDWINNING IN SEFTON
Sand was extracted commercially from many parts of the Sefton coast during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and continues today at the Horse Bank, Southport.
Areas from which un-established quantities of sand were removed include Crosby shore until the 1960's, Fort Crosby in the 1960's, Hightown shore and dunes until the 1960's and Formby dunes south of Lifeboat Road until 1959.
At Ainsdale in the 1950s contractors were allowed to excavate a channel between the frontal and second line of sand dunes. It was thought that the resultant slack would fill in and that the process could be repeated. Channels were dug from the Ainsdale/Freshfield boundary to 700 metres south of Shore Road and from 700 metres north of Shore Road to 200 metres south of Selworthy Road. They did not fill in at an acceptable rate and because the erosion at Formby was moving north work was stopped in 1963. 816,467 tons of sand was removed from the Ainsdale dunes between 1953 and 1963.
In 1966, it was agreed that 100,000 tons of sand per year could be won from the Ainsdale foreshore by scraping from the tops of the ridges between Shore Road and Selworthy Road. A washing plant was established in the dune slack north of Shore Road, on a site used from the 1960's to the 1980s as a dump for foreshore refuse. Heavy lorries were out of place on the foreshore, particularly in the holiday season and, partly as a result of this, work ended on Ainsdale foreshore in 1973, when sand was beginning to be won from the Horse Bank and from the Big Balls Hill area adjoining the Coastal Road at Ainsdale. 570,135 tons of sand was removed from Ainsdale beach between 1966 and 1973.
In order to meet the demand for a long-term source of sand contractors were invited to sample material from the Horse Bank. After a public Town Planning Inquiry in June 1968, a contract was let to win sand from 563 acres opposite Marshside Road on the approach to the Horse Bank. Extraction began in February 1972, with a limit of 200,000 tons of sand per annum. Only a small part of the area was of worthwhile quality and, from 1976, various permissions were granted for sand winning further seaward, until the quality was found satisfactory.
In December 1977, permission was granted for the winning of 400,000 tonnes per annum from 955 acres on the Horse Bank. Due to a restrictive covenant in the original sale of land, only the northern part of the area was worked until February 1981, when the restriction was lifted.
Sand has continued to be extracted from the Horse Bank since 1977. Southport sand has exceptional qualities for the foundry trade and for polishing glass. At present 20% to 30% of the sand extracted is transported to Doncaster where it is used to polish safety glass. In 2001 a Public Inquiry was held into a planning application to continue sand winning. The Inquiry determined that a further 10 years sand winning was permissible under monitored and controlled conditions, following which it could be reconsidered.
Evidence during the Inquiry demonstrated that the volume of Horse Bank had not declined since sand extraction commenced. The level of the shore was rising slowly and the crest of the Bank was flattening. The Horse Bank was slowly moving landward, but not at a rate that gave cause for concern. These trends were evident long before sand extraction commenced. It was established that the predominant source of shoreline accretion was from the bed of the Irish Sea. About 5% to 10% of the sand eroded from Formby moved onto the Horse Bank. Dredging deposits from the River Mersey provided a further source of accretion.
Mud deposition and salt marsh development were also evident long before the start of sand winning. They result from the large quantity of silt suspended in the River Ribble that is deposited on the shore whenever water conditions are calm.
The Planning Inspector concluded that sand winning from the Horse Bank had no demonstrable effect on coast erosion at Formby and no adverse effects on beach amenity or the coastal defences at Southport. In granting permission, a detailed monitoring programme was specified to ensure that adequate warning could be detected of any adverse physical or environmental trends.
Home
