CAMPAIGNERS aiming to protect Gower beaches are vowing to step up their fight against a building firm's sand dredging plan.

Llanelli Sand Dredging is still hoping to get permission from the Assembly to dredge material off the coast of Swansea Bay. Concerned residents and local groups, who insist the process damages the region's beaches, said they were gearing up for the release of key data on the environment.

Their cause has won the backing of Tory AM Alun Cairns, who is calling on more people in South West Wales to get on board with the campaign.

He said: "I remember a meeting when some researchers claimed the levels of sand on Gower beaches was increasing. If such claims are repeated, we need to be in a position to reject them immediately.

"If we aren't going to scrutinise the data collected, then who is?"

Llanelli Sand Dredging currently collects sand from Nobel Banks, out in the Bristol Channel.

The firm, which employs around 15 people, sells the sand to the local building and construction companies.

However, it wants permission to take sand from the much larger Helwick Bank. It has a temporary licence to dig until August, but is not allowed to start work until data on sand levels is released. A date has yet to be confirmed. But campaigners, who blame past dredging for the erosion of local beaches, are fighting to stop that from happening. Around 30 people met in Port Eynon Village Hall on Monday night to discuss the matter further.

This included representatives from 10 Swansea community councils, the Gower Society and Save Our Sands. They want the community to get the chance to quiz environmental experts about their research.

Mr Cairns said: "It is up the Assembly and Swansea Council to make the information available in a readable form." In the meantime, campaigners said they would press ministers at the Senedd to change policies on dredging.

Port Eynon mayor Linda Newland believed they had a strong case.

She said: "If they are dredging sand from Nobel, then why do they need to do it at Helwick as well?"

A spokesman for Llanelli Sand Dredging said: "Dredging (is) restricted to two or three short periods each year, which together total no more than about eight to 10 weeks. Dredging on the licence area only takes place for about two hours in each 24 hour period."

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