Calls for investment in West Somerset tidal lagoon grow louder

Ahead of next month’s Budget, the government’s being formally asked if it will back plans for an £11 billion flood defence and energy-generating tidal lagoon off the West Somerset coast.

The Severn Estuaries Commission recently endorsed the idea, choosing it over other options for managing rising sea levels and generating renewable power in the region.

The proposed West Somerset tidal lagoon would sit between Minehead and Watchet, using the Bristol Channel’s ten-metre tidal range, one of the highest in the world, to create clean and predictable energy.

Harnessing the tides

Under the plan, a curved sea wall would extend several kilometres out from the coast to create a lagoon. As tides rise and fall, water would flow through 125 submerged turbines, generating around 6.5 terawatt hours of power every year, enough for about two million homes.

The lagoon’s design avoids key shipping routes and sensitive habitats, while offering a new line of defence against storm surges, flooding and coastal erosion. Supporters say it could protect around 14 kilometres of coastline, including areas near Blue Anchor and Watchet, where roads and cliffs have already been damaged by the sea.

Floating solar panels inside the lagoon are also being considered to add a further 500 megawatts of renewable capacity.

‘Predictable, long-term power’

Engineer Chris Binnie, who is leading the technical development, said tidal energy offered consistency that wind and solar can’t.

“This scheme provides predictable energy” he said. “You know when it’s coming.”

He added that government support would allow the team to begin detailed environmental studies and move forward with a development consent order.

Early proposals include acoustic fish deterrents, new salt-marsh habitat, and two small bird islands within the lagoon to encourage nesting and reduce coastal disturbance.

‘We don’t want to lose this opportunity’

Karl Tucker, chair of the Great South West Partnership, said investment in the lagoon — alongside floating offshore wind, could position the region at the forefront of renewable energy innovation.

“We need that investment ahead of the curve” he said. “If we don’t do it here, somebody else will.”

Next steps

If approved, the lagoon could be generating power by the late 2030s. Construction would involve prefabricated concrete sections built at existing ports and floated into place, limiting disruption along the Somerset coast.

The project team says it would bring skilled jobs and local contracts during construction, but far less onshore impact than major schemes like Hinkley Point C.

Environmental assessments and modelling are expected to take up to two years, once funding is secured.

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