Public consultation over world's largest tidal power scheme

FOR the 1st time, local people and organisations can formally have their say on the Mersey Tidal Power Project, which could provide clean, predictable energy for 120 years, power hundreds of thousands of homes and create thousands of jobs.

The 6 week consultation runs until November 15 and offers the opportunity to comment on initial proposals for a tidal barrage across the River Mersey and its associated infrastructure.

A new website has been created to allow people to submit their views online. 10 public engagement events will also be held across the City Region and surrounding areas in which people can view details of the scheme, ask questions and have their say.

The consultation begins just days after the project entered the formal planning process, with the submission of a scoping report to the Planning Inspectorate to agree the ecology surveys that will need to be prepared ahead of a planning submission in 2026.

Submitting a scoping opinion is the 1st step towards preparing a Development Control Order (DCO) submission; a process which typically takes:- 2 to 3 years.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "The River Mersey has been the lifeblood of our Region's fortunes for centuries, and today marks another important milestone in its future. With the launch of our 1st public consultation and the start of the formal planning process, Mersey Tidal Power is moving closer to reality than at any stage in our history. This project has the potential to power hundreds of thousands of homes with renewable energy for 120 years while creating thousands of green jobs. It's a once-in-a-generation opportunity to cement our position as Britain's Renewable Energy Coast and help lead the global charge to net zero. This is about much more than just an energy generation scheme—it's a chance to build a lasting legacy for our people and our planet. The Mersey Tidal Project is 1 of the most challenging schemes to deliver due to the environmental, ecological and economic considerations, but it's potential to generate clean, green and predictable energy would be worth all the effort we are putting into this planning stage."

Households in areas closest to the proposed project have been receiving invitations to public consultation events, with the 1st to be held at the Museum of Liverpool on:- Thursday, 3 October 2024.

A dedicated consultation website has also been created at:- MerseyTidal.Co.UK and will host information on the scheme as well as an on-line survey.

Feedback from the consultation will help develop project proposals and will be considered alongside ongoing engineering design and environmental assessment work.

A report to the Combined Authority's meeting in March revealed the City Region is pursuing a barrage between the Wirral and Liverpool as the preferred option for the Mersey Tidal Power project.

The scheme; the:- "1st of a kind" in the UK; could generate clean, predictable energy for 120 years and create thousands of jobs in its construction and operation.

It also opens the possibility of a 1st ever cycling and pedestrian route over the river between Liverpool and Wirral and could provide a defence against future flooding risks associated with climate change.

Over the last 3 years, the authority has undertaken early technical work to develop the potential scope of the scheme, which could be up and running within a decade, playing a huge role in the Region's push to be net zero carbon by 2035; at least a decade ahead of national targets.

Mersey Tidal Power would add to offshore wind, hydrogen and solar projects as the City Region becomes the UK's Renewable Energy Coast; providing greater domestic energy security.

Councillor Anthony Burns, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Portfolio Holder for Net Zero, said:- "We are already leading the way in developing a cleaner and greener economy, with existing wind and solar power capacity and emerging strengths in hydrogen. Harnessing the power of the River Mersey to generate green and predictable energy for more than 100 years would be an incredible addition to our clean energy mix. I would encourage anyone interested in the project to get involved with the consultation and let us know what they think."

The March report to the Combined Authority noted that a barrage option would be less expensive than a man-made lagoon, requiring less material and more appropriate levels of government support.

The multi-billion-pound Mersey Tidal Power project would use tried and tested technology for the 1st time in the UK.

Further opportunities to provide feedback will take place as the project progresses. A further round of statutory consultation is planned for 2025, during which refined proposals will be presented for comment. Following the statutory consultation, proposals will be finalised ahead of an application for a Development Consent Order.

As part of the formal planning process, The Mersey Tidal Power Project has now formally submitted a scoping report to the Planning Inspectorate.

The scoping opinion submission describes the project and asks the Planning Inspector to advise on the scope and breadth of ecology surveys needed to complete the documents outlining the environmental impact of the scheme.