Anglers and wildlife groups have welcomed a damning verdict from the influential House of Commons Energy & Climate Change Committee on Hafren Power’s proposals for an 18km concrete barrage across the Severn Estuary, which could have seen the end of viable salmon, sea trout, shad and eel runs on the Wye, Severn, Usk and their tributaries.

The Select Committee, which heard evidence from the Angling Trust, concluded that the consortium’s plans are inadequate, poorly researched and completely fail to address the environmental issues that would arise from such a construction, including the damage to fish and birdlife. A report from the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology was released at the same time, highlighting the potential environmental impact of a barrage in such a sensitive environment.