The greenest region in the country. That's the prospect for the south bank of the Humber and northern Lincolnshire as a wave of new green energy projects take shape.

Firstly, revolutionary tidal power is to arrive in the Humber estuary as a groundbreaking project to harness its energy takes shape. East of Immingham Dock will be home to one of the world's first tidal stream generators after planners raised no objections to building a £2.2-million prototype on the south bank of the Humber.

The news comes as plans to build three massive wind turbines - higher than the dock tower - go before North East Lincolnshire Council's Planning Committee tomorrow. The application by chemical company Novartis Grimsby would see the small wind farm built on its own land, next to its Moody Lane facility.

Standing 102 metres high, the turbines will be higher than Grimsby's 94m Dock Tower. The news also follows E.On's announcement yesterday that it is to create an 83-turbine wind farm, one of the UK's largest, off Spurn Point. And the 20-turbine wind farm at Conisholme, near Louth, also nears completion.

Officials have recommended rejection of the Novartis proposals - which first came to light three years ago - because of the risk to endangered species of birds including golden plover, curlew and lapwing.

But Novartis' head of engineering, Adrian Wallis, said: "Novartis is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its operations. "The location of the turbines will be on the existing Novartis Grimsby site.

"This environmental project will provide approximately 30 per cent of the site's current energy requirements, equivalent to powering 3,600 homes and will reduce its carbon footprint by 30 per cent, equivalent to the contribution of 4,000 cars.

"Based on an extensive scientific assessment of the proposal, Novartis believe that there will be no adverse effect on the integrity of the location from an ecological, visual or noise perspective."

www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk