NEWPORT'S hopes of ever having a barrage may have been dashed several years ago - but there is still the possibility of creating an alternative.

The leader of Newport council, Sir Harry Jones, told members yesterday that although the barrage was a "tantalising suggestion" the £35 million put aside for it was now committed elsewhere.

But he added there had been three investigations into creating a 'sill' - a simplified form of barrage without the ability to hold back the tide - in the River Usk instead.

Sir Harry was responding to a question from Stow Hill councillor Miqdad Al-Nuaimi at a meeting of the full council.

Councillor Al-Nuaimi had asked if the council had "completely broken away" from the idea of a barrage and whether it could be looked at again.

Sir Harry said that firstly the money was no longer available. He told the meeting it had taken 20 years to save the money for the barrage and that "we've now almost entirely used every penny of that or committed it elsewhere".

He said: "It has now been redirected into the revamping of Newport."

Sir Harry said the figures for the scheme being quoted in 1994 had been £75 million to £80 million, but these figures would now be £125 million to £150 million.

"There's not the slightest chance we could find those monies," he said. "The M4 bypass is a greater priority for us."

He added that the possibility of introducing a 'sill' had been investigated three times since the barrage scheme was shelved.

"There are forces and people prepared to put money into such a proposal," he said.

But he added: "We would probably have to go through all the work we did last time to get a bill through the House of Lords and it cost £2 million the last time.

"There is still the possibility we may come back and look at a sill, but I can't see us going through all the procedures again."