OpenLegislation

Section 75 Exemptions for certain dredging etc activitiesI1C1C2

United Kingdom

(1)

A marine licence is not needed for a dredging or spoil disposal activity if

F1(a)

the conditions in subsection (2) are met F2, and

(b)

where the activity involves the disposal or recovery of waste materials, the additional conditions in subsection (2A) are met.

(2)

The conditions are—

(a)

that the activity is undertaken by or on behalf of a harbour authority, and

(b)

that the activity is authorised by, and carried out in accordance with, any legislation falling within subsection (3).

F3(2A)

The additional conditions are—

(a)

that the activity involves the relocation of sediments inside surface waters,

(b)

that the activity is for the purpose of—

(i)

managing waters or waterways,

(ii)

preventing floods,

(iii)

mitigating the effects of floods or droughts, or

(iv)

land reclamation, and

(c)

that it is proved to the satisfaction of the appropriate licensing authority for the area in which the activity is to be undertaken that the sediments are not hazardous waste.

C3C4(3)

The legislation is—

(a)

any local Act,

(b)

any order under section 14 or 16 of the Harbours Act 1964 (c. 40),

(c)

any order under section 1 of the Harbours Act (Northern Ireland) 1970 (c. 1 (N.I.)), or

(d)

section 10(3) of that Act.

(4)

In this section—

  • “dredging or spoil disposal activity” means—

    1. (a)

      any dredging operation, or

    2. (b)

      the deposit of any dredged materials that result from an exempt dredging operation;

  • “exempt dredging operation” means a dredging operation for which a marine licence is not needed by virtue of this section.

F4(5)

Any expression used in subsection (1)(b) or (2A) and also in F5Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste F6, as last amended by F7Directive (EU) 2018/851, has the same meaning as in that Directive.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1

Words in s. 75(1) renumbered as s. 75(1)(a) (6.4.2011) by Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/405), regs. 1, 2(2)(a)

F2

S. 75(1)(b) and word inserted (6.4.2011) by Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/405), regs. 1, 2(2)(b)

F3

S. 75(2A) inserted (6.4.2011) by Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/405), regs. 1, 2(3)

F4

S. 75(5) inserted (6.4.2011) by Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/405), regs. 1, 2(4)

F5

Words in s. 75(5) substituted (3.8.2016) by The Waste (Meaning of Recovery) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/738), regs. 1(1), 3

F6

Words in s. 75(5) inserted (17.9.2018) by The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Miscellaneous Amendments and Revocations) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/942), regs. 1(2), 6

F7

Words in s. 75(5) substituted (1.10.2020) by The Waste (Circular Economy) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/904), regs. 1(1), 6

Modifications

C1

S. 75 excluded (17.7.2023) by S.I. 2023/675, art. 50(4) (as inserted by The Portreath, Portscatho and Portwrinkle Harbour Empowerment Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/680), arts. 1(1), 5(3) (with arts. 6, 7))

C2

S. 75 excluded (20.2.2026) by The Lyme Regis, Bridport (West Bay) and Weymouth Harbour Revision Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/62), arts. 1(1), 42(2) (with arts. 30, 51, 52)

C3

S. 75(3) modified (13.3.2019) by The Port of Tilbury (Expansion) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/359), arts. 1, 43(1)(4) (with arts. 55, 56)

C4

S. 75(3) modified (27.11.2025) by The Cory Decarbonisation Project Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1227), arts. 1, 27(5) (with Sch. 12)

Commencement

I1

S. 75 in force at 6.4.2011 by S.I. 2011/556, art. 3(2)(a)

Notes on Part 4

Modifications

C1

Pt. 4 excluded (11.3.2015) by The Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Offshore Wind Farm Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/318), arts. 1, 8(6) (with arts. 40, 41, Pt. 2 para. 4(2), Pt. 2 para. 4(3), Pt. 2 para. 19, Pt. 4 para. 3, Pt. 4 para. 4, Pt. 4 para. 16, Sch. 12 paras. 4, 9(2), 10)

C2

Pt. 4 excluded (26.8.2015) by The Dogger Bank Teesside A and B Offshore Wind Farm Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1592), arts. 1, 8(7) (with arts. 40, 41)

C3

Pt. 4 modified (7.9.2016) by The Hornsea Two Offshore Wind Farm Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/844), arts. 1(2), 36 (with arts. 37, 38)

C4

Pt. 4 modified (15.9.2016) by The River Humber Gas Pipeline Replacement Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/853), arts. 1, 39 (with art. 43)

C5

Pt. 4 modified (22.1.2021) by The Hornsea Three Offshore Wind Farm Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/1656), arts. 1, 31 (with arts. 40, 41, Sch. 9 Pt. 5 para. 18)

C6

Pt. 4 applied (E.W.S) (1.1.2022) by The Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/1414), arts. 1, 32 (with arts. 41, 42, Sch. 17 para. 66)

C7

Pt. 4 applied (E.W.S.) (5.3.2022) by The Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/138), arts. 1, 32 (with arts. 41, 42, Sch. 16)

C8

Pt. 4 modified (29.12.2022) by The Keadby 3 (Carbon Capture Equipped Gas Fired Generating Station) Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/1396), arts. 1, 39 (with art. 32, Sch. 10 paras. 26(2), 68)

C9

Pt. 4 modified (28.4.2025) by The Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/468), arts. 1, 39 (with arts. 47, 48, Sch. 10)

C10

Pt. 4 modified (28.7.2025) by The Mona Offshore Wind Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/870), arts. 1, 5 (with arts. 37, 38, Sch. 10)

C11

Pt. 4 modified (22.9.2025) by The Morgan Offshore Wind Project Generation Assets Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1012), arts. 1, 5 (with arts. 9, 10)

C12

Pt. 4 modified (27.11.2025) by The Cory Decarbonisation Project Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1227), arts. 1, 42(1) (with Sch. 12)

C13

Pt. 4 modified (23.12.2025) by The Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Generation Assets Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1366), arts. 1, 5 (with arts. 9, 10)

C14

Pt. 4 modified (8.1.2026) by The Five Estuaries Offshore Wind Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1376), arts. 1, 5 (with arts. 39, 40, Sch. 9)

C15

Pt. 4: power to amend or modify conferred (12.2.2026) by Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026 (c. 6), ss. 22(3), 32(1) (with s. 30)

C16

Pt. 4 modified (5.6.2026) by The North Falls Offshore Wind Farm Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/567), arts. 1, 35 (with arts. 44, 45, Sch. 14)

C17

Pt. 4 modified (5.6.2026) by The Dogger Bank South East and West Offshore Wind Farms Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/577), arts. 1, 35 (with arts. 40, 41, Sch. 15)