North East File Collection - NEFC

GOODENOUGH RING SOLICITORS

Data Protection Officer, PD Ports, 17-27 Queen’s Square, Middlesborough, TS2 1AH

By email

Our ref: GIB00001

5 December 2025

Dear Sir or Madam,

Request for information under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004

1. We write on behalf of our client, Dr Simon Gibbon.
2. PD Teesport Limited (“PDTL”) is the statutory harbour authority for the Port of Tees and Hartlepool, which includes a 12-mile stretch of the River Tees, the Port of Hartlepool, and part of the North Sea (the “Harbour”). PDTL is a subsidiary of PD Ports. As the harbour authority, PDTL owes specific duties under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.
3. We request the following information under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (“EIR”):
   1. Documents evidencing PDTL’s consideration of and compliance with section 48A of the Harbours Act 1964 and Regulation 63 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 when designing, carrying out and/or undertaking dredging in the Harbour pursuant to its statutory authority since 1 January 2021.
   2. Documents evidencing any assessment, since 1 January 2021, of the environmental impact of the dredging of the Harbour (not the disposal of dredged material), including in relation to:
      1. the water bodies regulated under the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017,
      2. the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SPA and Ramsar site, and
      3. the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SSSI.
   3. Documents evidencing PDTL’s consideration of alternative methods of dredging to Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers (TSHD) and evidencing the reasons why those alternatives have not been adopted.
   4. Any information which explains how dredging methods have changed since 2005 and why TSHD has been selected.
   5. Any maintenance dredging method statement made since 2005 other than the 2015 and 2025 statements made public through the respective licence applications.
4. In responding to this request, please ensure that you apply the presumption in favour of disclosure (regulation 12(2) EIR).
5. Furthermore, as you are no doubt aware, regulation 12(9) of the EIR prevents reliance on the exceptions to disclosure enshrined in regulations 12(5)(d) to (g) where the information requested relates to information on emissions.
6. Please confirm safe receipt of this letter and respond as soon as possible and in any event within the 20 working day time limit.

Yours faithfully,

Goodenough Ring Solicitors