To our Members and Stakeholders,

The Mersea Harbour Protection Trust is pleased to announce that the Recharge is, at last, going to happen in September.

We obtained a licence from the Marine Management Organisation to carry out the work. We obtained the finance from the Environment Agency to pay for the delivery of the material and have an agreement from Harwich Harbour Authority to make available up to 170,000 tonnes of sand and gravel from a major capital dredge of the deep water approaches to Felixstowe. As that dredge is now about to start, the Mersea Recharge can proceed.  It has taken 7 years and £70,000.

HHA have appointed a joint venture between leading Dutch marine contractors Boskalis and Van Oord to carry out the work. For the Mersea Recharge, they will be using specialist dredger “Sospan Dau”   which will be bringing up to 1500 tonnes to Mersea on every tide and delivering it on the first of the ebb.

We have been able to get this far with the support of our members and RSPB as well as generosity from Essex County Council, Essex Community Foundation, Colchester and West Mersea Councils, Mersea Moorings and other organisations and individuals. We offer very sincere thanks to you all for your support, generosity and patience.

Richard Taylor

Trustee – The Mersea Harbour Protection Trust