The primary purpose of the project is to generate fully renewable power from the tidal range in Swansea Bay, enhancing energy security and allowing important carbon reductions. Other key objectives are to contribute to the regeneration of the Bay and to create a tourism, sports and leisure resource at a regional/national level which contributes to the local economy.Early on in project development, design objectives and principles were identified for the masterplan, which seeks to establish a flexible concept of a new recreational coastline for Swansea between the city centre beach front to the west and Crymlyn Burrows SSSI to the east.The project involves the construction of new seawalls to impound 11.5km2 of Swansea Bay. Turbines within the walls will generate renewable electricity from the incoming and outgoing tide, exploiting the exceptionally large tidal range within the Bay, and will have a nominal rated capacity of 240MW (based on average tides) and an installed capacity of 320MW. The project will generate in excess of 500GWh per year, enough to power 156,000 homes (c.90% of Swansea Bay’s annual domestic electricity use, or c.11% of that of Wales). The project will have an anticipated lifespan of 120 years.Integral to the project will be the creation of new public realm on top of the seawalls and along the existing shoreline, with a visitor centre and facilities for education, arts, culture, recreation and sport.The project is of international significance and is the first in a series of lagoons that Tidal Lagoon Power Ltd intends to develop, own and operate in the UK. The Swansea project is intended to demonstrate the technical feasibility and financial viability of tidal lagoons, as well as the client’s approach which puts place-making at its heart and seeks to integrate a major renewable energy project into the lives of local people. It will provide long-term, secure, predictable renewable energy, making a significant contribution to reducing climate change.The project is particularly significant in having landscape architects as the creative leader of a major infrastructure project. The contextual, analytical, creative and communication skills of landscape architects have been a key driver in shaping the project and their value has been clearly demonstrated to the entire project team and other stakeholders.The project will deliver the world’s first purpose built tidal energy lagoon, harnessing the 8.5m tidal range of Swansea Bay (average Spring tides) to generate renewable electricity for 14 hours per day, for 120 years, with a net annual output in excess of 500GWh (equivalent to c.90% of Swansea Bay’s annual domestic electricity use, or 11% of Wales’). Alongside this, it will provide a major sports, tourism and leisure destination, contributing to local regeneration.