A TIDAL lagoon near Burnham would create thousands of jobs and help prevent flooding on the Somerset Levels.

The town is one of six possible sites in the UK earmarked for the multi-billion project which would also provide electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes and attract tourists.

The ambitious plans, unveiled this week, have been backed by Energy Secretary Ed Davey and Burnham’s MP Tessa Munt.

The company behind the scheme, Tidal Lagoon Power, is expected to get the go ahead next month for the world’s first man-made tidal lagoon in Swansea.

A spokesman said its engineers have spent the past 12 months carrying out a feasibility study in Bridgwater Bay although it is keeping the exact location under wraps.

“We have conducted geological and ecological tests in the bay and have also been gathering the views of local people,” he said.

“Commercial sensitivity means we are not yet able to name a precise location for the lagoon but it will be within Bridgwater Bay.”

He added: “Our intention is to supply some 8% of the UK’s power requirements by building six full-scale tidal lagoons in UK waters.

“We remain very encouraged by the enthusiastic support shown to date by local people in Bridgwater Bay and very much hope this will be one of the six full scale tidal lagoons that we go on to develop after Swansea Bay.”

It is thought that a lagoon in Bridgwater Bay could take around two years to build and create thousands of construction jobs.

There would be more jobs to operate the scheme and potentially hundreds linked to visitor spending.

A lagoon near Burnham would also help prevnt floods on the Levels as it would control tidal flow, preventing a water surge onto the land.

The lagoons are also expected to attract tourists and anglers as they will help to improve fishing stocks.

Burnham MP Tessa Munt has given her backing to the Bridgwater Bay scheme.

“I’m a long-term supporter of tidal power,” she said..

“The potential of this technology is immense and most of us here in the West Country understand that.

“Harnessing the power of the nation’s tides has the potential to supply as much as 10% of the UK’s electricity by 2023.”

She added: “In March last year, I used my position as chair of my party’s Energy & Climate Change Backbench Committee to introduce Eva Bishop, director of Tidal Lagoon Power to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey.

“I never waste an opportunity to encourage him to meet experts and entrepreneurs operating in the clean, green, renewable sector and it seems it’s finally paying off.”

Mark Shorrock, chief executive of Tidal Lagoon Power said: “Full-scale tidal lagoon infrastructure gives the UK an opportunity to generate electricity from our amazing tidal range at a cost comparable to fossil fuel or nuclear generation.

“We have the best tidal resource in Europe and the second best worldwide – we now have a sustainable way to make the most of this natural advantage.

We will build on the template established for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon.

“There is still a long way to go and many environmental surveys to undertake but we will work in partnership with all nature conservation bodies so as to understand, avoid, minimise and mitigate any environmental impacts.”