You have only to look around you to appreciate the role that aggregates play in our world. Take away the elements that were not, in some part built using sand, gravel or crushed rock and there wouldn’t be much left.

Sand and gravel extracted from the seabed makes an important contribution to the overall picture, supplying around 6 per cent of the UK aggregate needs. It is the smallest, but nonetheless an important component of three supply sources, working closely with the land-based quarry sector (69 per cent) and the now well-established recycled/secondary aggregate industry (25 per cent).

Around 13 million tonnes of the aggregate extracted from the seabed in a typical year is used for construction in the UK. The industry also exports some 6 - 7 million tonnes of coarse sands and gravels to our European neighbours to augment supplies of fine aggregate (sands) from their own marine aggregate industries and help meet their construction needs. Around 2 - 3 million tonnes is supplied each year for coastal protection – helping to replenish beaches, and thereby protecting communities and sustaining tourism. Other uses range from free-draining sand for sports pitches to rounded flint cobbles to enhance gardens and other landscapes.