Sand on picturesque Cornwall beach being ‘mined and sold for profit’

Excavation vehicles remove sand from Hayle Beach in Cornwall
Tons of sand have allegedly been removed from Hayle Beach ‘with no thought for the environmental repercussions’ - Courtesy of Sophie Daniels/SWNS

A seaside council has been accused of “mining” sand from one of Britain’s most picturesque beaches and selling it for profit.

Residents in Cornwall said that authorities were exploiting Hayle Beach by stripping tons of sand “day and night with no thought for the environmental repercussions”.

Sophie Daniels, who lives nearby, has launched a petition demanding sand removal cease immediately.

In her petition, which has reached 1,880 signatures, she said: “The beach is suffering as tons of sand is removed day and night, sold for profit with no thought of the environmental repercussions.

“This isn’t merely about preserving our beach for recreational purposes, it’s about safeguarding our ecosystem, our local community, and our future.”

A view looking out across Hayle Beach, one of Britain's most picturesque beaches, towards the sea
Hayle Beach is one of Britain’s most scenic beauty spots - Daniel Dayment/SWNS

Peter Haddock, the Hayle harbourmaster, has defended the sand removal, telling Cornwall Live that regular dredging is needed in four areas at Hayle Harbour to provide a “safe channel for fishing and sailing boats to navigate”.

He said that the sand is sold to Padstow Seasand and Aggregate, a local company, and used in farming, construction, paint, arts and crafts, playgrounds and cat litter.

However, Ms Daniels accused the authorities of excavating areas of the beach far away from the proposed channel.

Mr Haddock told Cornwall Live that regular dredging is needed in four areas at Hayle Harbour to provide a “safe channel for fishing and sailing boats to navigate”.

He added: “Dredging also maximises the flow of the tide to naturally flush the channel, maintaining the estuary’s ecosystem as well as contributing towards managing flood risk.”

Hayle Harbour Authority is responsible for regular dredging.

Mr Haddock added: “Proceeds from the sale of sand are reinvested back into harbour to support the costs of maintaining and operating the harbour.”

An digging vehicle and areas of excavated sand on Hayle Beach in Cornwall
Authorities have been accused of excavating areas of the beach far from a proposed channel needed to ensure the safety of boats - Courtesy of Sophie Daniels/SWNS

Ms Daniels said that authorities were digging from areas that made no difference to the channel’s navigability, but fishermen were reluctant to raise the issue.

She said: “They won’t say this to the harbourmaster or landowners as their livelihoods rely on moorings from the people authorising the digging.”

Ms Daniels said that the “night-time operations” also disrupt the peace and that the excavations pose a danger to children.

A spokesman for Hayle town council said: “Councillors recognise the need for a safe navigable channel to access the harbour, but ultimately they also have grave concerns about the possible long-term damage to the local environment and ecology and believe that the reinstatement of a routine sluicing regime would be more beneficial and acceptable to the Hayle community.”

The council spokesman added that key environmental bodies have been consulted and the harbourmaster has been asked to replenish the dunes.