Locals voice ‘overwhelmingly positive’ support for Mersey tidal power project

The first public engagement for the Mersey tidal power project saw that 84% of the respondents from the Liverpool City Region support the project.

The project, set to harness tidal energy from the River Mersey, aims to expand the UK’s renewable energy capacity.

A non-statutory consultation, conducted between October 1 and November 15, 2024, gathered 3,039 responses, with 92% supporting the need for increased renewable energy generation in the Liverpool City Region.

In October 2024, the Liverpool City Region Mayor unveiled that the first public consultation for the Mersey tidal power project started just days after the formal planning process was initiated.

According to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA), more than three-quarters of respondents “strongly” supported the scheme, which could generate clean, predictable energy for at least 120 years.

The engagement process included ten drop-in events attended by 1,238 people, as well as an online survey and consultation website. In total, 3,039 responses included local authorities, businesses, environmental organizations, charities, local groups, and the general public.

“The response to the first phase of the consultation has been overwhelmingly positive, and it’s clear that there is strong support for the Mersey Tidal Power project as we explore ways to generate clean, renewable energy for the region,” said Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram.

“While no decisions have been made yet, this is an exciting opportunity for the city region, and we’re determined to ensure that the voices of local people are central to the development of this world-leading project.”

LCRCA’s preferred option involves constructing a tidal range barrage across the River Mersey between Liverpool and the Wirral. The project is said to create thousands of jobs and establish the first above-ground connection between the two areas. 

According to LCRCA, it would integrate walking and cycling routes while incorporating flood protection and climate resilience measures and also include locks to allow ship passage.

“We’re confident that the Mersey Tidal Power project, which would be the largest of its kind in the world, has a vital part to play in helping the transition away from fossil fuels to green, renewable electricity,” said Cllr Anthony Burns, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Net Zero.

“But we know that we have to have the support of the public to move ahead with this transformational project and that’s why we’re committed to speaking with and listening to local people as we continue the project’s development.”

Findings from the consultation will inform the next stages of development, which include further engineering design, stakeholder engagement, and environmental assessments. Details of how feedback from the non-statutory consultation helped to shape the scheme will be provided at a later date, LCRCA noted.

Liverpool City Region’s Mayor presented the project in March, highlighting that the project could manage environmental issues that are associated with climate change, such as floods.