Beach management: moving or clearing sand
You need a licence to carry out beach management activities, provided the work:
- lasts no longer than twelve months
- costs no more than £1 million
- happens in the area we licence
- is to move or clear sand
- is not to add or replenish beach material
- maintains the beach profile
The marine area we license
We licence activities:
- in the Welsh sea - such as a marker buoy or a pontoon
- over the Welsh sea - something above or over-hanging the sea such as a bridge or cantilever
- under the Welsh sea - the ground under the sea and anything resting on it such as a wreck
The 'Welsh sea' reaches from average high tide (called 'mean high water springs') to the Welsh territorial limit.
Beach management activities
You need to apply for a licence for:
- beach re-profiling - the movement of beach material cross-shore up or down the beach
- beach recycling – the movement of beach material along the beach from areas of accretion to areas of erosion within the beach or associated sediment system
- replacing or returning wind-blown sand to the beach, where that sand originated on the beach
- clearance/removal of beach material in and around outfalls to aid drainage
We will only consider applications for beach management activities where an ongoing beach profile is being maintained [DO WE NEED TO EXPLAIN 'ONGOING PROFILE'?]. Your applications must be accompanied by evidence that the historical profile is being maintained [WHERE/HOW TO INCLUDE THIS? METHOD STATEMENT?].
Beach replenishment
Beach replenishment is the addition of beach material from sources not connected with the sediment system of the beach to replace material permanently lost from the system.
You cannot apply for beach replenishment as a band 1 activity [WHAT IS THEIR OPTION - A B2?].
What we charge
This type of licence is called a band 1 licence. Applying for it costs £600. We will send you a request to pay when we receive your application.
When to apply
Submit your band 1 application at least two months before you want to begin the work.
We will make a decision within 6 weeks of receiving a complete application and the fee.
How to apply
Find out what information you need to prepare to submit an application to us.
Other permissions you might need from us
As well as applying for a band 1 marine licence, you might need other permissions from us, including:
These must be in place before you begin the work.