River Mersey tidal scheme plan progresses

Proposals to potentially build the world’s largest tidal scheme on the banks of the River Mersey in Liverpool, UK, have been announced by City Region’s Mayor Steve Rotheram.

The city region will pursue a barrage between the Wirral and Liverpool as the preferred option for the Tidal Power project.

The barrage scheme, reportedly the ‘first of a kind’ in the UK, could generate clean, predictable energy for 120 years and create thousands of jobs in its construction and operation.

The multi-billion-pound scheme is moving towards the formal planning consent process.

It also has potential for the first-ever cycling and pedestrian route over the river between Liverpool and Wirral, and could provide a defence against future flooding risks.

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will be asked at its 15 March 2024 meeting to approve the submission of a scoping opinion to the Planning Inspectorate later this year.

The authority has undertaken early technical work to develop the potential scope of the scheme over the last three years, which could be up and running within a decade.

If agreed, prior to the scoping opinion being submitted, the Combined Authority (CA) would carry out a period of engagement, regionally and nationally, with stakeholders.

The CA would then hold formal consultations across communities and stakeholder groups once the scoping opinion is received.

The report to the CA notes that a barrage option would be less expensive than a lagoon, requiring less material and lower levels of government support.

A barrage could also help manage long-term environment issues related to climate change, including managing the effects of sea level rise on the Mersey.

The Mersey Tidal Power project would reportedly be the largest tidal range scheme in the world, using tried and tested technology for the first time in the UK.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, says, ‘The River Mersey has been the lifeblood of our region’s fortunes for centuries – and it has an even more vital role to play in our future. Where our area was once a leader in the First Industrial Revolution, we now have an opportunity to seize our chance to become a leader in the Green Industrial Revolution…We are under no illusions, we know there are still significant technical and financial challenges to overcome.'