Floods barrage is a 'non-starter'

Saturday, September 06, 2008, 07:00

Building a barrage across the Humber as an alternative to abandoning flood defences along the estuary is a non-starter, it has been claimed.

The idea of a giant barrage spanning the estuary was first floated 20 years ago.

Two potential sites, at Spurn Point and Stone Creek, were looked at.

But the idea was eventually shelved because of the likely cost.

Some now say it should be revived as an alternative to the Environment Agency's current controversial plans to leave large areas of East Yorkshire, including Easington, Sunk Island, Hessle Foreshore, North Ferriby and Brough, unprotected from future flooding.

Barrages can reduce the tidal impact on river defences and are increasingly seen as a way of generating power.

But Philip Winn, the Environment Agency's Humber strategies manager, said the idea of constructing a barrage across the estuary was a non-starter.

Speaking at a meting of Hull City Council's environment scrutiny commission, he said: "There are potential benefits in terms of power generation, but it does not tip the balance to make a barrage a more effective economic option than what we are already doing."

He claimed having a barrage would also present navigational problems and would only add to the cost of shipping movements on the estuary.

But he said the biggest stumbling block was European legislation protecting wildlife habitats on the Humber.

East Riding councilors and MPs are opposing the agency's plans, which could lead to about 2,000 homes being left unprotected over the next 50 years.