The North Sheppey Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) coastline was once a stunning retreat frequented by holiday-goers, fishermen, dog walkers, and ramblers, enthusiasts would travel from all over the world to collect the Eocene fossils this stretch of coastline's famous for... sadly that was all set to change.       

Between 2020 and June 2023 this significant and scenic stretch of coastline was transformed into a dumping ground that can only be compared to a building site due to the industrial-scale illegal fly-tipping that continued unchecked for over three years despite being reported to various agencies on numerous occasions, the consequences of this lack of intervention are profound.

Local residents reported up to thirty lorries frequenting the site at Eastchurch Gap on a daily basis, most of which weren't road legal. One resident complained that his family couldn't even open their windows to let air in, or hang their washing out as the dust from the lorries driving up and down their unmade road was horrendous, even the engine bay in his car was caked in dust, many more complained of potholes left in the roads by the tipper trucks, trucks hurtling past as early as 4am and reckless driving down the local country lanes.

Local businesses, organisations and volunteers continue to mobilise and give up hours, even days of their time, desperately trying to counter this tragedy which now plagues this whole stretch of coastline, including our Blue Flag beaches, with both processed and builders waste, the amount of micro and macro plastics is shocking, particularly after strong onshore winds and high tides,

This is by no means an isolated incident, this once beautiful SSSI stretch of coastline has been subjected to industrial scale fly-tipping at no less than nine different locations over several decades. 

There's more at stake here than simple aesthetics. As a Site of Special Scientific Interest, the North Sheppey Coast is a vital habitat for numerous species and a key element of our natural heritage. Moreover, the dumped waste has been left to wash out to sea where it causes serious environmental and ecological harm, along with potential hazards to public health.

Furthermore, government agencies have a statutory obligation to maintain and enhance the condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest, a duty that has long been neglected here on the North Sheppey SSSI coastline, as can be evidenced by the shear amount of industrial waste strewn along this section.

Please sign and share this petition to ask that Dan Labbad, Chief Executive to The Crown Estate, work alongside DEFRA, the Environment Agency, Natural England and Swale Borough Council to raise sufficient funding and to clean up the illegally dumped waste and restore this once beautiful section of SSSI coastline to its natural state as best possible in line with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.