VILLAGERS are demanding answers over plans for a power plant to be built near their homes.

People living in Thornton-le-Dale, near Pickering, have already expressed concerns about proposals for the gas-powered electricity station on the Caulklands landfill site.

Natural Power Limited announced its intentions earlier this year and promised to address local concerns at a public meeting - but villagers say nothing has been heard since.

They are also concerned that the company has already erected a chimney at the site to tackle methane seepage from the landfill, even though the firm does not yet have planning permission for it.

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

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

But Mark Southerton, of the North York Moors 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."