Row over sand removal from Cornwall beach as opponents organise protest

Concerns have resurfaced about huge quantities of sand being taken from a beach in the South West, with residents and visitors upset that diggers and lorries are removing sand from the estuary in Hayle, Cornwall.

There have been renewed concerns about large-scale sand removal from a beach in Cornwall, with locals and visitors expressing dismay over diggers and lorries taking sand from the estuary in Hayle.

The issue first gained attention last summer, and people have taken to social media to voice their worries, sharing photos and videos of the diggers and lorries at work on the beach.

Members of the "Help Stop Hayle Sand Being Taken Away!" Facebook group, including locals and holidaymakers, have been posting images and videos of the sand removal, with some expressing fears that this could set a precedent for other beaches. Donna Bolton from Staffordshire commented: "It looks worse than what I thought. They are actually digging up the beach. The thing people don't realise is this could happen to other beaches.. will any beaches be safe in the future?"

Adrian Crocker added: "Absolutely appalling the beach will never be the same again."

An anonymous poster who shared photos and videos of the diggers in action said: "I am shocked to see the images of beautiful Hayle beach. Well done to everyone actively trying to raise awareness."

Chris Dormer expressed strong sentiments, saying: "It's the sand that we sit on and our children play on that is being taken not the dredging of the estuary."

SOS Cornwall echoed the concerns, adding: "If work continues the following week locals will be continuing to protest to halt the lorries going out until good enough answers are given and work is stopped so Hayle beach can start to heal and those who have studied this can rest knowing they are now doing the right thing. The estuary has already been dredged for navigational purposes. There is no need to continue this and hasn't been for months."

Hayle resident, Sophie Daniels joined the fray last August when she initiated a petition on Change.org explaining: "In recent times, our once tranquil beach is suffering as tonnes of sand are removed day and night, sold for profit with no thought of the environmental repercussions.

"Excavation is taking place on the beach, far from the central channel they declare to keep clear. The ill effects of this relentless mining are evident. Night-time operations disrupt peace, and the incessant excavation poses a risk to our children's safety on the beach.

"Furthermore, it's a serious threat to the delicate ecosystem and local wildlife that call this beach home. The often cited study in the Journal of Coastal Research has consistently shown that sand mining impacts coastal and marine biodiversity and flood defences.

"Hayle Beach, a gem of Cornwall and voted Best Beach in the UK by The Times, deserves to be protected and nurtured, not exploited. Our plea is simple: cease the sand mining immediately. This isn't merely about preserving our beach for recreational purposes. It's about safeguarding our ecosystem, our local community, and our future."

Opponents to the practice have now organised a protest outside Gilbert's Beach Bar on Sunday, February 2, from 1pm to 3pm.

Councillor Peter Channon, Cornwall councillor for Hayle West and a member of the Cornwall Harbours Board, insisted no-one is stealing sand from the beach.

He said the first furore about sand being dug up came about when failed bankrupt developer Simon Wright, who was behind the collapsed companies that were building the North Quay development, took sand from the area known as Riviera Fields, which is part of the dunes system now overlooking the unfinished development.

Cllr Channon has explained that the situation in Hayle is complicated due to the private ownership of the harbour and surrounding areas. He stated: "It's not a beach owned by Cornwall Council, it's part of the harbour and it's privately owned. Put simply, the harbour at Hayle will cease to exist if there is no dredging."

The councillor also highlighted that the harbour gets silted by both Atlantic storms and the muddy river flow. He revealed that the cost of dredging and maintaining the river depth is covered by the sale of the removed sand. Cllr Channon also clarified that it is illegal for the Hayle Harbour Authority to dump the dredged sand back into the bay, hence it must be taken off-site and sold.

He recalled that until the 1970s, harbour dredging was done through sluicing, with four points in the harbour releasing large amounts of water at low tide to force the sand out to sea.

Since the factories closed and the coal boats from Swansea stopped coming to power the heavy industries on Hayle Quay, dredging has been carried out with diggers and lorries. This is because no one in Cornwall owns a dredger large enough for the job or any sand sucking machines that can do it cheaply.

"It's not a business to remove the sand," he added. "It's a business to clear the channel. It costs a lot of money to do and the only way to pay for it is by selling off the sand."

He noted that the issue seems