Thames Estuary The new airport would be built on a man-made island in the estuary north of Minster-in-Sheppey There is also some discussion about the need for a Lower Thames Crossing in order to alleviate traffic congestion at Dartford. The Thames Estuary is the focal part of the 21st-century toponym, the "Thames Gateway", designated as one of the principal development areas in Southern England. The appellation Greater Thames Estuary applies to the coast and the low-lying lands bordering the estuary itself. These are characterised by the presence of mudflats, low-lying open beaches and salt marshes, namely the North Kent Marshes and the
Canvey Wick Canvey Wick Canvey Wick is a 93.2 hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest at the south-west corner of Canvey Island in Essex. It is owned by the Land Trust and managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Buglife. The site was formerly an oil refinery, and has been transformed into an area of grazing marsh. It has a nationally important population of invertebrates, including 22 which are endangered Red Book species, and three which had been recorded as extinct in Britain. It also has a nationally important population of shrill carder bees. Scrub edges provide additional