ENVIRONMENT watchdogs in Gloucestershire have cautiously welcomed the prospect of building energy creating tidal lagoon along the Severn Estuary.

But Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust warns that any plans for a major tidal lagoon along the Severn would require developers to make good the loss of habitat for 75,000 migrating birds.

The trust has welcomed the findings of the Hendry Review, an independent study to assess plans to build tidal lagoons along the Severn Estuary.

The Review has come out in support of pilot tidal lagoon project at Swansea - with the rider that it be subject to strict monitoring.

Colin Studholme, the trust’s director of conservation, said: “While recognising the potential enormous benefits which tidal lagoons could bring in terms of clean energy generation, the Trust would like to see this ‘pathfinder’ project in Swansea fully analysing and quantifying its environmental and wildlife impacts.”

He said the Hendry Review recognised that tidal lagoons are an as-yet untested technology, and as such was unable to give an ‘absolutely factual assessment of full life-cycle of environmental consequences’ of the Swansea lagoon.

The Review also said that in many cases tidal lagoon developers would have to make good the loss of wildlife habitat to comply with the Habitats and Birds Directives.

Mr Studhome said that in the Severn Estuary this would be very difficult due to the substantial loss of mudflats that are essential for 75,000 migratory birds.

He said: “With the largest tidal range in Europe, a vast array of wildlife, rich cultural heritage and a wild and beautiful landscape, the Severn Estuary is one of the UK’s great natural wonders and a globally important site for nature.

“The Severn is home to over 100 different species of fish, the highest diversity of any UK estuary.”