Harbour bosses have been accused of “scaremongering” after claiming that failing to dredge the Goodwin Sands could cost jobs.

The Port of Dover wants to use the material for its flagship Dover Western Docks Revival but is being fought by campaign group Goodwin Sands SOS (Save Our Sands).

The Port of Dover has reportedly said that millions of pounds of investment and hundreds of jobs will be at risk if it can’t do it.

Neil Wiggins, the board’s community director, said this week: “Not dredging the Goodwin Sands means that Dover will suffer, that there will be limited or delayed regeneration for Dover.

“Our core objective is to deliver regeneration for Dover in terms of jobs in terms of facilities and to make Dover a destination again.”

But GSSOS co-ordinator Joanna Thomson told the Mercury: “Dover Harbour Board are now resorting to blatant scaremongering.

“There is absolutely no reason why not being able to dredge the Goodwin Sands will jeopardise either the regeneration of Dover or the promise of new jobs. DHB have stated this several times now but have not given any explanation.”

GSSOS says that landfill and construction aggregate is available from established commercial dredging sites both in the Thames Estuary and the East English Channel.

The group says that DHB should have researched these alternative sites.

GSSOS also argues that a report by consultants Royal Haskoning DHV in July 2015 said that the saving to DHB of getting sand from the Goodwins would be £6.7 million.

But the DWDR investment is now estimated at £250 million for the first phase.

Ms Thomson said: “Bearing that in mind this is a minimal saving when considering the irreversible environmental harm that will be done to the Goodwin Sands.

“The promise of jobs is for when the development is completed, not during the construction.

“There is therefore no reason why these jobs should still not be available when the development is finished, no matter where the aggregate comes from."

GSSOS says that the Sands should not be disturbed as they are a marine graveyard with the remains of 82 Battle of Britain pilots.

But it is also against the dredging because of fears of coastal erosion and wants to protect a proposed Marine Conservation Zone and a seal colony.

The Port of Dover wants to dig for 2.5 million cubic metres of material for the docks redevelopment, its single biggest investment. It is applying for a government licence to do the work.

The Mercury asked the Harbour Board to be more specific about how many jobs may be at stake, even an approximate figure, but it declined to comment.