The impact of sand extraction at Formby Point ... - Sefton Council

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Assessment of ecological impacts of sand extraction at Formby Point and
opportunities for habitat maintenance, restoration or creation linked to targets
within the North Merseyside Biodiversity Action Plan
Philip H. Smith, March 2008
1. Introduction
Formby Point is part of the Sefton Coast sand-dune system, the largest area of coastal
dunes in England. Reflecting its importance for wildlife, Formby Point is included in the
Sefton Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest designated in 2000. The area also benefits
from EU protection, being part of a Special Area of Conservation and Natura 2000 site.
The dune system has been listed as a wetland of international importance under the
Ramsar Convention and is also a Site of Local Biological Interest under the Sefton
Unitary Development Plan.
The Sefton Coast sand-dunes have been subject to extensive modification by a wide
range of human activities (Smith 1999), one of these being large-scale removal of sand
for industrial purposes. From at least the 1920s or 1930s onwards, sand-winning took
place from several sites at Formby Point, despite the fact that the coastline had been
subject to rapid marine erosion since about 1906. In the early years, the industry appears
to have been unregulated but there are records of planning applications for sand
extraction between 1949 and 1959, while a public inquiry took place in the 1960s. In
1958, a Coast Protection Order was enacted by Formby Urban District Council and no
further applications were considered to the west of an arbitrary line, though sand removal
continued to take place until 1970.
This report was commissioned in September 2007, its aim being to investigate the
ecological impacts of sand extraction at Formby Point. The Project Brief requested the
following:
• Review relevant information held by the contractor and other sources, if appropriate.
• Assess the positive and negative impacts of the industry.