Initially, windpower was researched but it was decided that a wind turbine would be visually intrusive in the North York Moors National Park.

After a river survey and an approval was made by the Environment Agency, the collective pressed ahead with the hydro scheme.

[8][9] At the same time that the project was being built, the North York Moors Park Authority re-built the fishpass adjacent to the turbine.

[11] Even though the National Park Authority was satisfied that the development would have no detriment to the ecology or hydrology to the river,[12] some in the community were upset that they were not fully informed as to the prospect and possible ramifications of the hydro scheme.

Parts of the local community were unaware that when the river was in low flow, the water would not go through the screw, but go over the weir or through the fish pass as normal, as they claim, this had not been communicated to them.