Developer ditches £3bn barrage scheme to link counties across the Wash |
Centre Port, the developer behind the controversial plan, has thrown in the towel in the face of opposition from locals and environmentalists, who fear the scheme would devastate the Wash.
News of the climb-down has been revealed in an email leaked to this newspaper, in which its chief executive James Sutcliffe says the barrage - which would have been constructed across the mouth of the estuary - has now been shelved.
A graphic produced by Centre Port showing the proposed route of the barrage (Image: Centre Port)
It was originally part of a marine development scheme which included a deep sea container port near Wainfleet off the Lincolnshire coast and a tidal energy plant generating the power to run it.
When contacted by this paper, Mr Sutcliffe said he still hoped to begin work on the sea terminal and hydro electricity plant once it had obtained a Development Consent Order (DCO) from central government.
But he added: "That's as far as we're going at the moment, there's no requirement to go across to Norfolk.
James Sutcliffe, chief executive of Centre Port (Image: Chris Bishop)
"We're not in the flood defence business, that's something for the Environment Agency."
Mr Sutcliffe said he would be happy to engage with the agency and other authorities if it was decided in the future that a barrage was needed.
As well as creating a new road to Lincolnshire, supporters........