Hydropower may return to beauty spot to charge cars

Volunteers hope to install a hydropower system on the Cheddar Yeo near the Gorge

A hydropower system could be built at a beauty spot to raise money for community projects.

As part of plans put forward by volunteers for the site on the Cheddar Yeo in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, new car charging points would be installed that are powered by the system.

The river's power has been harnessed for centuries, with a peak of 13 mills, for uses including milling paper and corn.

Huw Robson, one of the project leaders, said the new system would be a "good way to promote renewable energy whilst bringing money in to the community".

The campaigners behind the project describe the initiative as being "reasonably straightforward, apart from the money [needed to fund it initially]".

Mr Robson said the car chargers would be one of the most "exciting parts" of the installation, at the site of the former Cox's Mill Hotel.

Cars would be charging "directly from the power of the water that is pouring behind them", he said.

Mr Robson said the brown field site project was currently "three quarters of the way through" its one-year feasibility study which is being overseen by the Cheddar Community Partnership.

It is estimated that the system could generate around 200,000kWh of power each year – enough to power several dozen homes annually.

All profits are to be reinvested into community-led projects, including the charging points.

The plan has received a grant from the government's Community Energy Fund, which is managed by South West Net Zero Hub.