PLANS to install another hydroelectric power plant in the River Thames through Oxfordshire are forging ahead.

Morrells Farming Ltd, which is hoping to install the facility in the Thames at Culham, has submitted a noise assessment to South Oxfordshire District Council.

Aiming to reassure the council that the volume will be relatively low, John Taylor of Morrell's Farming pointed out that the noise of the river is fairly high anyway, and also said that the group's facility would not operate at all times.

He also said that the nearest homes are more than 200m from the proposed hydro plant site.

The farming group, which is registered at an address in Sandford St. Martin near Chipping Norton, won planning permission in February 2016 to install an Archimedes screw in the river just north of Culham weir.

The scheme is similar in principle to the £3.2m Sandford Hydro plant in the Thames just south of Oxford which started operating last year, but which has three such screws.

Members of public can see Morrells' latest planning application to the council, including the noise assessment, online at southoxon.gov.uk using reference number P18/S1786/DIS.

The council is aiming to make a decision on the latest application by July 5.