COUNCILLORS want to step up the quest for a tidal lagoon stretching miles along the North Wales coast, with one saying “we have got to do it”.

The call came after Conwy county council’s economy and place scrutiny committee heard one of the local group forums in Llandudno had received a presentation from a company at the forefront of wave power generation.

Council leader Sam Rowlands and Henry Dixon, chairman of North Wales Tidal Energy, presented proposals for a North Wales tidal lagoon at the local area forum north’s meeting on February 1, according to the minutes.

Cllr Rowlands has long advocated the need for the barrage project, which would not only generate power for up to 1.1m homes but could solve some of the North Wales coastal strip’s issues with rising sea levels.

The forum meeting minutes also revealed Welsh Government is launching a pathfinder project (Welsh Challenge), with a view to developing a lagoon in Welsh waters.

Remarking on the disclosure at the economy and place committee meeting, councillors recommended Mr Dixon be invited to council to give a presentation on the scheme.

Cllr John Roberts (Rhiw ward), said he had met Mr Dixon but first and foremost people should realise the lagoon would primarily be about “power generation”, not sea defences.

He added: “I have visited Saint-Malo in France and saw what they had for 60 years – where have we been?

“I think it would be a very good idea to invite Mr Dixon. We have got to do it.”

Cllr Harry Saville (Gogarth ward) said it would bring clean energy generation but also a “great opportunity” for jobs and prosperity along the coast.

He asked the authority’s chair, Cllr Abdul Khan, to push for an invite for the tidal lagoon boss but the offer was instead taken up by Jane Richardson, the council’s strategic director of economy and place.

She said: “I would be happy to take this forward. There are exercises being taken up by Welsh Government for expressions of interest in tidal lagoons.

“There are two potential schemes in Conwy and Flintshire.”

She advised councillors not to see a barrage as a cure for potential flooding from rising sea levels and said it would be “a bonus”.

She added: “We are developing our own plans for flood management.”

She said more details about flood mitigation schemes on Llandudno’s North and West Shores would come to democracy “soon”.

The proposed tidal barrage scheme being developed by North Wales Tidal Energy would see a barrage built between the Great Orme and Prestatyn.

Although much more expensive than wind farms the company claims the lifetime of the project means it would be costs effective.

Cllr Saville told the meeting the barrage would last so long it would still be operational if a Wylfa B was commissioned and decommissioned, likewise a Wylfa C, and would still be there if a Wylfa D was ever commissioned.

Another company, Mostyn Sea Power Ltd, is also in the race to get a tidal lagoon commissioned.

Costing £570m it would stretch for 6.7km from Mostyn to Point of Ayr in Flintshire.