A PLAN to site a hydro-electric plant beside a stretch of the River Swale populated by otters has generated a surge of anger.

Residents of Topcliffe, near Thirsk, fear if Richmond-based UK Hydro Ltd’s proposal for a 100kw scheme is given the go-ahead, it would have a catastrophic effect on both the beauty spot and their quality of lives.

The firm said the renewable energy scheme would involve excavating land beside the river to create a channel, through which water will be diverted to power an Archimedean screw.

It said the scheme had an anticipated capacity to generate 53900kwh for the National Grid - enough electricity to power 539,000 100W lightbulbs for an hour - and could save 232 tonnes of CO2.

In its application to Harrogate Borough Council, agents for UK Hydro said the 2009 UK Energy Review highlighted that while renewable energy projects may not always appear to convey any particular local benefit, they provided crucial national benefits.

The firm said the proposal would alter the river's appearance and the plant would look modern beside the grade II listed Topcliffe Mill, but it would lie beside a man-made weir historically used for harnessing energy from the river and the site would screened by trees.

It added an ecological risk assessment had found otters at the site, and that a replacement holt could be constructed away from the turbine along with planting strips to encourage the animals to move away from the machine.

However, numerous residents and groups, including Natural England have urged the council to postpone a decision on the scheme or reject it, saying it could have significant impacts on the Humber Estuary special area of conservation.

Bradford City Angling Association, which owns and rents fisheries both sides of the proposed site, said water flows over the weir crest would be reduced to less than ten per cent of current flows, resulting in the erosion of the weir pool.

Topcliffe Parish Council chairman Councillor Garry Key said as there had been no maintenance work on the weir wall for many years, it was feared the scheme could cause it to collapse and devastate the beauty spot.

Cllr Key added the area, which suffered severe floods in 2012, could become more prone to flooding.

He added: "There's no benefit to the village at all, it's purely a money-making venture."

The borough council's planning committee is scheduled to examine the proposal on September 30.