THE unused mill ponds in Embsay could be transformed into self-financing havens for wildlife and conservation if ambitious plans go ahead.

The parish council has agreed to allow resident Simon Midgley to seek outside funding for a feasibility study to see if the scheme would work.

The idea is to tap the natural water power of the ponds and create an electricity-generating turbine. The spare electricity could be sold to pay for the conservation of the mill ponds.

Mr Midgley, a horticulturalist with Craven College, said he did not know if the scheme would work. That was why a feasibility study was needed, he added.

The cost of the study could be several thousand pounds.

Mr Midgley has made some initial inquiries about grant aid and has had encouraging murmurs from the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust.

"As far as I know, the trust could be willing to provide around 75 per cent of the cost of the study. With so much money around at the moment for environmental projects, I cannot see a problem in getting the additional money in outside grants.

"Once the study is done, we will find out whether the scheme is possible, what it is likely to cost, and whether installing the hydroelectric turbine would be worthwhile."

He said that selling the electricity should not be a problem as a percentage of power used in the UK is bought from natural sources.

But the study might reveal that the amount produced will be small and will not go very far in covering the cost of maintaining the three ponds which will hopefully be turned into conservation areas should the plans come to fruition.

Members of the parish council said they fully supported the idea, but suggested Mr Midgley take on an official role as project manager and write to the owners of the ponds to outline the proposals.

They said they would be willing to put some money forward towards the cost of a feasibility study, but would prefer Mr Midgley to see whether the full amount could be obtained through grants.

Mr Midgley said he would write to the ponds' owners with his suggestion.

"If they don't want anything done, or the feasibility study shows that it is not feasible, then the idea will be dropped, but I feel it is certainly worth investigating, just to find out," said Mr Midgley.

It is hoped more information will be available at the next parish council meeting.