NORTH Yorkshire farmers have been given the go ahead to create "green" power along a stretch of the River Ouse.

Plans to build a hydro-electric power plant at Linton Lock, submitted by local farmers JR and K Throup and Sons, were approved by Harrogate Borough Council.

The power produced at the site would be sold to the National Grid, as part of government plans to make ten per cent of all energy environmentally friendly by 2010.

But an apparently conflicting plan by Ian Fuller, submitted within Hambleton District Council's boundary on the opposite side of the river, may now be thwarted.

Linton-on-Ouse parish council chairman, Coun Derrick Jauncey, said earlier this month that he thought that it would only be possible to build one plant.

He said yesterday that he was disappointed by the council's decision to give JR and K Throup and Sons planing permission.

He said: "I feel extremely annoyed that it appears that two district councils have totally disregarded one another.

"All I want to see is a good hydro-power plant working for the good of the community."

Coun Jauncey said he believed there should be a public inquiry into the decision.

Chris Hawksworth, British Canoe Union national planning and facilities manager, who opposed the application, said the application had been heavily conditioned.

He said: "We're not surprised it (the plan) was passed but we're still concerned that our established recreational use will be completely deleted. We're not very happy about it at all and we intend to review our options."

Sophie Throup, from the farm, said she had been working on the plan for two years, and was sure it would cause minimum disruption to wildlife and the flood banks.

She said: "We're delighted to have been given the green light to go ahead with our scheme. We'll continue to work with the Environment Agency and British Waterways to ensure that our scheme is the best deal for everybody concerned."

The Throups hope to start building the plant next month.

Updated: 11:06 Thursday, June 19, 2003