A GREAT swathe of sand off the coast of Gower could be left untouched following a major rethink by a dredging company.

Llanelli Sand Dredging said it intends to relinquish its hard-fought licence to remove up to 1,050,000 tonnes of sand from Helwick Bank, near Port Eynon, over seven years.

In return, the company wants a variation on a separate dredging licence relating to Nobel Banks, an area further out to sea in the Bristol Channel.

The move has been warmly welcomed by protesters who battled to stop the Helwick Bank licence being granted in a campaign, which included a public inquiry held in Swansea in 2006. They feared, among other things, years of dredging at Helwick Bank was responsible for an apparent loss of sand at Port Eynon beach. Thousands of people on the peninsula got involved.

Gower Society chairman Malcolm Ridge said: "We were disappointed at the result of the inquiry, but I think the pressure from that will have helped."

He said discussions had been going on behind the scenes about Llanelli Sand Dredging's recent change of plan, adding the society had firmly pressed for the yielding of the Helwick Bank licence as a condition of the company getting its wish for Nobel Banks.

According to Mr Ridge, the Assembly will not court other dredging firms to apply for the Helwick Bank licence, should it be given up as planned.

Gower campaigner Gordon Howe, who gave evidence at the inquiry, described yesterday's announcement as an incredible turnaround, and felt common sense had prevailed".

Mr Howe, of Mewslade, near Rhossili, added: "This could be a coincidence, and these things do go in cycles, but there is more sand at Mewslade now than I have seen in 20 to 30 years — and they haven't dredged at Helwick Bank for about five years."

The Assembly inspector said there was little doubt the deterioration of sand dunes at the rear of Port Eynon beach had caused the general loss of sand, rather than dredging.

Llanelli Sand Dredging has carried out an environmental impact assessment of the proposed Nobel Banks licence variation, which won't result in more sand being removed.

It recognised "continued public concern regarding further dredging on Helwick Bank", but pointed out there were few alternatives sources of sand to supply the construction market. And it pledged to continue to monitor the seabed surrounding areas at Nobel Banks where it had removed sand.