Bridgwater tidal barrier work planned for 2023

Work on the new barrier is not expected to start until early 2023

Work on a new tidal barrier in Somerset could start in 2023, a meeting hears.

Plans for the £99m barrier across the River Parrett in Bridgwater were submitted in 2019 but have yet to receive final government approval.

Sedgemoor District Council and the Environment Agency (EA) need the go-ahead from the environment secretary George Eustice and the Treasury.

The finished barrier is expected to protect up to 11,300 homes and 1,500 businesses from flooding.

In an update, EA project executive Graham Quarrier stated: "We are planning to start setting up the site in late 2022 to enable construction to start in early 2023, dependent on achieving approvals and consents."

Plans were submitted to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs in December 2019 and were passed to Mr Eustice in January.

Design work

There is no time limit to make a decision, but with parliamentary recess it is unlikely a decision will be made before September, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The planned tidal barrier would have two "vertical lift" gates that would be closed when a very high tide is expected.

Mr Quarrier told a meeting of the Somerset Rivers Authority board on 23 July the Treasury must also approve the outline business case.

In his written report, he states: "The project will be re-submitted to the Treasury later once contract prices are established.

"Our construction advisers are working on the design of the barrier and downstream defences, with the particular aims of speeding delivery and reducing carbon."