ANGRY residents in a Ryedale village are calling on a power firm to act over its ongoing plans to build a generator near their homes.

Natural Power Ltd wants to build a methane gas generator at Caulklands landfill site at Thornton-le-Dale.

A company spokesman promised at a public meeting earlier this year to look into residents' concerns and to organise another public meeting before resubmitting a planning application.

But residents say because more than six months has passed, they are growing anxious about the future of the site, and the firm's plans.

Meanwhile, they have further concerns that Natural Power has already erected a chimney at the site to tackle methane seepage from the landfill, though the firm does not yet have planning permission for it.

The firm submitted a planning application for the chimney and to build a generator at the site earlier this year, but the issue was suspended after complaints from residents.

At a public meeting, more than 100 householders demanded a halt to the plans because they were concerned that noise from a generator would be unbearable.

Resident Sue Cowan said she was frustrated by the lack of action by the firm.

"People like me are getting sick of waiting around for them to do something," she said.

"A lot of people attended that public meeting earlier this year and we need to know what is happening.

"I have tried ringing up the North York Moors National Park but there is no news yet.

"We are concerned that they are just going to go ahead with their original plans and we will be stuck with a noisy generator.

"Another thing which is worrying is that they have already put a chimney up on the site and they still haven't got planning permission for that."

Mark Southerton, from the national park's planning authority, said the firm had announced no further plans for the site.

"We are planning to pursue the matter in coming weeks because residents are getting anxious to find out what is happening," he said.

"They have said they will hold another public meeting with residents to discuss their plans, rather than just submitting another planning application.

"They do not have permission for the chimney they have erected.

"There have been no complaints about that yet because it is doing a good job in filtering the methane gas away."

No one from Natural Power Ltd. was available to comment.

Updated: 08:13 Wednesday, July 24, 2002