Green light recommended for hydroelectric scheme

Plans for a hydroelectric power scheme in North Yorkshire that would be capable of providing power for more than 300 homes look set to be approved by councillors next week (16 January 2020).Renewables First submitted an application to City of York Council in January last year for the hydroelectric scheme, and associated infrastructure, at Naburn Locks, near York.Planning permission is sought for two turbines, a fish pass, turbine house building, hydraulic channels, trash screening and access improvements.It has been estimated by the applicant that the proposed development would generate a peak power output of less than 500kW and an average annual energy production of 1.2 GWh, sufficient to power about 310 UK homes.The application will be considered by the council’s Planning Committee on 16 January and is recommended for approval, subject to conditions, in an officer’s report prepared for the meeting.The report said that “very special circumstances exist that clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt”.The grade II-listed Naburn Locks were constructed in the mid-18th century with a water-mill was first built on the site in the 1810s and was used for the milling of corn, flint and stone. The mill fell into disuse and was demolished in 1958.A single-storey ‘banqueting house’ is located adjacent to the locks and this was sold for residential development in 2017.