MP Natalie Elphicke has backed calls for greater protection for the Goodwin Sands.

A dredging licence is in place and campaigners against the work lost a court battle last year.

The Dover and Deal MP has met with Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers to make the case for protecting the shifting sands, off Deal.

This would be by making a new class of special marine interest sites in the Government’s upcoming Environment Bill.

The Port of Dover wants to dredge aggregate for its Dover Western Docks Revival development.

The pressure group Goodwin Sands SOS (Save Our Sands) say the site should be protected as it potentially contain dozens of aircraft and airmen from the Battle of Britain and major shipwrecks.

It also supports sea life including colonies of seals.

Mrs Elphicke met with campaigners on Walmer seafront to outline her plans for future protection of the site.

She also met with Ms Villiers to make the case for changes to be made to strengthen the government’s upcoming Environment Bill.

Her plan would see new Sites of Specific Marine Interest created with similar standards of protection to Sites of Specific Scientific Interest on land.

It would place a higher threshold for invasive commercial activity, such as dredging, than the current system of Marine Conservation Zones.

Mrs Elphicke said: “The Goodwin Sands are a special part of our environment and should be afforded greater recognition and protection.

“On land we have different designations for different categories of protected environmental assets. I would like to see that approach extended to special marine habitats like the Goodwin Sands.

“Goodwin Sands SOS has done valuable work raising awareness about the Sands, our maritime history and wider marine life.

“I want to build on the passion for our local Goodwin Sands that so special marine habitats can have stronger protections for future generations.

”I will also be working with the group to seek further engagement with government agencies about the management and mitigation strategies around the planned dredging work.”

Joanna Thomson of GSSOS said: “The Goodwins are an important part of our national heritage but they are vulnerable to exploitation. No other area in UK waters holds so much marine history.

"The Sands are also environmentally significant as they protect the vulnerable East Kent foreshore and create a natural anchorage.

“The Goodwin Sands Conservation Trust has been set up to conserve and protect the Sands for the benefit of the public.

"The trustees very much welcome Natalie’s work to see the upcoming Environment Bill strengthened to help make this possible.

A licence for Dover Harbour Board to dredge the 10-mile sandbank was granted by the government's Marine Management Organisation in July 2018 after a bitter two-year battle against that by opponents.

GSSOS followed on with a Judicial Review in the High Court in London last June.

This was on whether the MMO had assessed the impact of removing the volume of sand, not just the surface area.

It was also on whether by not assessing the volume an accurate MCZ assessment had been carried out.

The court finally rejected GSSOS' case.

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