DLA Piper is advising Tidal Lagoon Power, an organisation specialising in renewable energy, on plans to deliver the UK's first full-scale tidal lagoon project between Cardiff and Newport, having also advised the developer on its first project at Swansea Bay.

The Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project is a scheme developed to establish a scalable blueprint for the sector, on which DLA Piper advised. If planning permission is granted, the next site at Cardiff will be the UK’s first full-scale tidal lagoon power plant, generating power for approximately 14 hours each day.

The affordable and sustainable infrastructure harnesses the natural power from the rising and falling of tides on the UK coastline through the use of hydro turbines. In total, Tidal Lagoon Power plans to build a national fleet of six lagoons, including the Cardiff and Swansea Bay projects.

Altogether the sites could meet 8 per cent of the UK’s total electricity requirement for 120 years. Tidal Lagoon Power Limited expects to submit a full planning application for Tidal Lagoon Cardiff in 2017, with a decision then expected in 2018.

The team is led by head of infrastructure planning Howard Bassford along with Emma Roberts, Emma Harling-Phillips and Reza Newton.

Howard said: "The tides provide a predictable and reliable energy source that can be harnessed for great benefit with the correct infrastructure. For that reason, Tidal Lagoon Power's overall vision is both significant and hugely exciting for the UK clean energy market.

"Having advised on all aspects of consenting for the Swansea project - from planning to negotiations with landowners and other major developments - we know that the components of these project provide a particular opportunity to deliver a new UK industry whilst meeting carbon emission targets."