RSPB, Norfolk Wildlife Trust and Wild Ken Hill estate criticise 'unworkable' plans for tidal barrier across The Wash
A £2billion project to create a tidal barrier across The Wash has been criticised as "unworkable" and "outlandish" by wildlife and conservation charities.
It comes after Centre Port unveiled its plans for the world's first tidal powered deep sea container terminal, a new road and flood defences between Norfolk and Lincolnshire.
Centre Port Holdings Ltd, a UK-based marine and renewable energy infrastructure developer behind the plans, says the scheme could protect the area from the effects of climate change and future tidal surges.
The company claims the project could create enough green energy to power around 600,000 homes in the region, create more than 1,000 jobs during construction and provide an alternative travel route to the "congested" A17.
But a group of charities says the scheme would pose "significant risks" and "fundamentally alter one of the UK's most important wetlands".
The RSPB, Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT), Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust (LWT), the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) and Wild Ken Hill Estate, based at Snettisham and home to the BBC's Springwatch, have released a joint statement urging the government and developers to re-think the proposal to "avoid catastrophic effects on nature and wildlife".
"The Wash is the UK’s most important estuary for wild birds, home to England’s largest common seal colony, and an important fishery," they said.
"A tidal barrage would fundamentally alter the nature of the intertidal habitats on which this wildlife depends."
The organisations say the construction of a barrier across the mouth of The Wash would "displace the flow of tidal water in and out of the estuary", which could lead to "greater - and more frequent – flooding, and cause significant coastal erosion".
"Similar projects, including a tidal barrier at Oosterschelde in the Netherlands resulted in flooding further along the coast," they added.
Nick Bruce-White, director of RSPB England, said: “It’s absolutely necessary to look at where the UK sources its energy and how we produce more of it ourselves from renewable sources, but we have to make sure we’re striking the right balance for nature.
“The Wash is one of the most complex coastal habitats for its hydrology and stunning range of wildlife.
"Spending millions of pounds on assessments and surveys is a waste of time and money that could be better spent on more workable, established solutions to generate green energy, such as wind and solar power.
“Based on the current evidence that demonstrates the destruction this would bring to The Wash, we consider this project a non-starter.”
Meanwhile, Dominic Buscall, project manager at Wild Ken Hill, added: "We absolutely cannot afford to interfere with this unique and incredibly special ecosystem, especially in light of the Government's commitment to stabilise the decline of biodiversity by 2030."
And Dr James Robinson, director of conservation at the WWT, said building a barrage would not address the energy crisis as it would take years to construct.
"It would, however, cause permanent damage to one of the UK's most important wetland habitats with devastating effects on biodiversity at a time when we are facing a biodiversity crisis in the UK and worldwide," he said.
“It would also destroy saltmarsh, a vital carbon store that helps combat climate change. If the UK Government is truly committed to recovering nature it must oppose any plans for a barrage across the Wash."
But Centre Port Holdings' chief executive James Sutcliffe said: "The local environment is seriously at risk from climate change.
"Our mission is to retain The Wash boundaries, its wildlife and ecology and to minimise climate change impacts that could devastate these sensitive areas."
