- Nov 19, 2014
- 3 min read

Tidal Lagoon For Southport

SOUTHPORT'S coastline could soon follow in the footsteps of Swansea after a green energy giant reveled they have targeted the resort as a potential site for a tidal energy lagoon. The Tidal Lagoon Power firm responsible for the £850 million, six mile long seawall lagoon in the Welsh city have identified Southport as one of a number of potential sites for a similar project. The coastline and tidal activity around the Southport coast has been earmarked as a “potentially good area” due to a combination of requisite high tides and a shallow sea bed. The sea wall, which is estimated to encompass an area of coastline over 42 kilometers squared, would begin at Ainsdale beach before heading out to sea before circling back to the former Rainfords sand extraction plant in Marshside. Permanently submerged hydro turbines mounted inside the new sea wall generate power from rising tidal waves. All anybody will be able to see is a ring-shaped harbour wall. As the sea outside the breakwater rises and is held back a difference in water levels is created, known as ‘head’, and once a sufficient head height is reached, sluice gates are opened and water flows into the lagoon through turbines to generate electricity. This process then occurs in reverse, on the ebb tide, as sea levels start to fall and a tidal head is created by holding water back within the lagoon. This way the tides can flow through turbines four times daily to generate power. A lagoon would then be created which local councillors and Tidal Bay bosses believe could be used as a bigger and better Marine Lake - housing sailing, swimming and a number of other water based events. Mike Case, an environmental scientist and engineer for Tidal Lagoon Power, recently wrote to Southport councillor Fred Weavers to explain why the resort is a potential site for such a project. Mike, speaking in April, said: “The Sefton coast is an area we are investigating for a potential lagoon site. It has the requisite high tides and shallow seabed required and so is potentially a good area. I have had a very quick look at a potential site running from Ainsdale up to the old sand extraction plant which would cover an area of 42km2 with a wall length of 10.8km. ”It would house around 25 turbines, 15 sluice gates and would produce around 11,000GWh per annum. “This could have great potential in terms of tourism, leisure and watersport activities for Southport. ”Depending on the wave climate and ground conditions this may be technically and commercially viable but I am also aware of the various environmental designations and sensitivities on this area of coastline so it would require a great deal of further preliminary feasibility work in order to take it to the next stage.“ However five months on, Councillor Fred Weavers believes the project is looking more likely than ever. Speaking to our reporter, he said: ”Originally when this idea was first put on the table we had maybe a 10% chance of something happening - now there's a 50% chance and it is looking ever more likely. “If we are to save Southport as a town centre then this tidal project is one of the best ways to do it. ”We are at risk of losing prime agricultural land to more housing developments and now, with this potential project we don't have to. “Because we would be creating a new and bigger Marine Lake out to sea we could easily fill in the existing lake and build houses there. ”It makes a lot of sense. The tourism generated from a lagoon would be immense as well - after all we need to provide some other reasons to go to Southport. “The potential is there for cycling and running events across the wall and a host of watersport activities in the lagoon. ”We have been in talks with Tidal Lagoon Power Ltd for a while now and they are very excited about the idea - it is one of a number of sites they are looking at.“ Tidal Bay Power have already begun work on a £850m, six-mile-long U-shaped seawall by the Swansea docks which will generate power for 120,000 homes for 120 years as well as creating nearly 2,000 construction jobs in the two years it takes to build. Councillor Weavers is eager to gauge residents' responses to the tidal lagoon idea. He is contactable via fredweavers@fsmail.net or by calling 07771 635332.