Major update on multi-billion pound tidal link plan across River Mersey

Dan Haygarth

18 September 2024 at 8:24 am·4-min read

An artist's impression of what the Mersey Tidal Barrage could look like — -Credit: (Image: Liverpool City Region Combined Authority)

Plans to construct the world's largest tidal power project, stretching across the River Mersey between Liverpool and Wirral, have taken a major step forward. Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram today announced a public consultation on the project will take place and the scheme has entered the formal planning process, as a scoping report has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.

A tidal barrage has been an ambition of Mayor Rotheram's since his first election win in 2017. His plan is to create the huge piece of infrastructure in the River Mersey, stretching from Liverpool to Wirral, built in order to generate clean and reliable energy from the river for years to come.

Leaders believe that energy could power hundreds of thousands of homes and last for 120 years, while the project could create thousands of jobs along the way. A six-week public consultation on the scheme will begin on October 1, offering local people and organisations the opportunity to comment on initial proposals for the tidal barrage and its associated infrastructure.

The Scoping Report has been submitted to agree the ecology surveys that will need to be prepared ahead of a planning submission in 2026. Submitting a scoping opinion is the first step towards preparing a Development Control Order (DCO) submission – a process which typically takes two to three years.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “The Mersey Tidal Project is one 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.

“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 first 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.”

Starting next week, households in areas closest to the proposed project will receive invitations to public consultation events, with ten events planned across the city region. The engagement events will enable people to find out more about the project, meet the team behind it, and have their say on proposals.

Artist's impressions of how the new Mersey Tidal project could look

Feedback from the consultation will help develop project proposals and will be considered alongside ongoing engineering design and environmental assessment work. The Mersey Tidal Power project will be discussed at events at next week's Labour Party conference, which will be held in Liverpool.

It also opens the possibility of a first-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 three 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.

It is hoped it will play a huge role in the region’s push to be net zero carbon by 2035. 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.

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.

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