A decision allowing new pontoons to be installed for more than 100 weekly boat moorings in a bay home to several species of wildlife has been met with “shock and dismay”.

Kent Wildlife Trust bosses have aired concerns after the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) gave the green light for structures to be installed at Pegwell Bay between Sandwich and Ramsgate.

It is feared the project would scare off grey seals which live at the bay after it was confirmed the number of boats to the area could skyrocket from two to three a week, to 15 per day.

Proposed by Carl Davis at Coastal Marina, it is hoped the plans will provide additional wet moorings to the River Stour to meet the needs of the boating community in the area.

Hoping to have the work complete in the next two years, Mr Davis says in the application: “I must stress that we are not carrying out any construction works.

“The quayside has been here longer than any other marina on the River Stour. We are using the space as it was intended for. We are simply creating safer access to the water to protect users.

“Our work will consist of maintaining the quayside edge and placing pontoons into the water.”

The licence granted by the MMO means these pontoons will be put in Port Richborough, along the River Stour.

But, following permission being granted, Kent Wildlife Trust sent a lengthy response to the proposals, detailing its concerns the plans would increase boat traffic, watersports and other disturbances and highlighted the risks the move would pose to the vulnerable birds and seals that breed in the area.

Last year the charity also raised awareness around the dangers of seal disturbance at the site, home to Kent’s largest population of the marine mammals which are often worried by jet skiers, kite surfers and paddle boarders who get too close.

They also fear repeated disturbance to the creatures could lead to seals injuring themselves, being left unable to feed their young and even death.

A spokesperson for the trust said: “The granting of the Marine Licence is one of several pressures currently being put on the site, which was opened as a National Nature Reserve by Sir David Attenborough in 1999.

“In addition to recreational disturbance, the National Grid has earmarked the site to host their Sea Link Project, a 145km electricity cable linking Kent and Suffolk.”

“My fear is that with all this disturbance, the seals are just going to move away and not return...”

Planning and policy officer Emma Waller, added: “We are shocked by the decision to approve a licence for new pontoons at Port Richborough.

“It is worrying that the cumulative impacts of recreational activities, which would see an increase from two to three boats a week to 15 boats a day, appears not to have been considered.”

She added the collective impacts would negatively impact wildlife at the bay, which is already at risk of significant disturbance from National Grid’s Sea Link Project.

“The granting of this licence is yet another blow to local wildlife and we are dismayed by this decision,” she added.

“My fear is that with all this disturbance, the seals are just going to move away and not return.

“It is not every day you see seals in the wild, we are privileged to have a place where we can take our binoculars and watch these magnificent marine mammals in their natural environment, but we are pushing them further and further away.”

But, applicant Mr Davis says he has made contact with the trust in a bid to ensure that wildlife disturbance is kept to an absolute minimum.

“We are publishing information about the local wildlife on our signboards to educate users of the dos and don'ts,” he said.

“Our position in the River Stour and the moored boats are helping to reduce the speed of navigating boats where once it was a fast straight.

“Boats would travel very fast in this area, the effects of slowing down the traffic are, less bank erosion, reduced disturbance to wildlife and the pontoons will create habitat and feeding areas for smaller fish.”

Protected area warden Nina Jones, from Kent Wildlife Trust, says while the decision is a blow, the trust will continue to work with staff at the marina, who have expressed a strong desire to minimise the impacts to the environment.

She said: “I remain hopeful that, by working together and putting wildlife at the heart of what we do, we can achieve a workable outcome for the birds, seals and other marine life that call Sandwich and Pegwell Bay home.”

A spokesperson for the MMO said: “We undertook extensive assessments and consultations with a range of stakeholders, including Kent Wildlife Trust, as part of our review of the licence application.

“We listened to Kent Wildlife Trust’s concerns and conducted a thorough assessment of whether there would be adverse environmental impacts to protected sites caused by increased traffic within the area of the works.

“We judged there would be no adverse impact and our findings were approved by England’s statutory nature conservation body. We are happy to speak with Kent Wildlife Trust at any time to understand any fresh concerns they may have about the marine licence.”