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Published:
March 11, 2006
Green Party has "deep misgivings"
over Severn Barrage scheme
The
Green Party said this week it has "deep
misgivings" about the scale of the
huge Severn Barrage being planned between Brean Down and Wales.
 In
a statement issued on Friday, the Green Party welcomed the bid
to draw energy from the tides of the Bristol Channel, saying that
it will put the "looming energy crisis" back on the
agenda.
But
it added that it does not support the scheme itself.
It
comes a week after Burnham-On-Sea.com reported
how Welsh businessman Gareth Woodham had launched an ambitious
plan to build a barrage across the estuary between Brean Down,
near Burnham-On-Sea (pictured) and Lavernock Point in Wales.
"Mr
Woodham is showing far more courage and imagination than the government,"
said Bristol Green Party spokesman Peter Goodwin.
"There
will be many objections to his plans, not least from ourselves
- but he is right to pinpoint the estuary as a vital part of Britain's
future energy provision."
"It
has the capacity to provide perhaps 20% of Britain's power needs.
The government, meanwhile, is sleepwalking its way into a climate
crisis and an energy crisis."
 He
added: "Safe energy from natural resources like the tides
and winds of the estuary is urgently needed. Along with strategies
to reduce overall energy use, we can still avoid the intolerable
danger, national insecurity, and expense of fossil and nuclear
alternatives."
"But
it's something we have to act on now. Let's see a commitment from
the government to make the most of this invaluable asset,"
said Mr Goodwin.
Although
they welcome the debate, the Greens say they have "deep misgivings"
about the scale of Mr Woodham's plans.
They
argue that many small-scale renewable power plants under the water
or in the air above it could produce similar outputs without the
huge and controversial environmental and energy costs of constructing
a barrage.
RELATED
LINK:
Huge
£650million Severn Barrage plan unveiled
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