Campaigners protest outside Harrogate Spring Water consultation event

A group of protesters demonstrated outside Harrogate Spring Water’s public consultation event this evening in opposition to the company’s latest expansion plans

Members of the Save Rotary Wood Again group stood outside the Crown Hotel, in Harrogate, to campaign against the company’s revised plans to expand its bottling plant off Harlow Moor Road, which involve felling 450 trees planted by schoolchildren to combat climate change.

It comes after the company, which is part of Danone, announced it is in a contractual agreement with a landowner to buy two acres of land and plant 1,200 saplings – which it said would equate to around a 3:1 replacement of those removed during expansion – to offset the impact if the reversed matters planning application is accepted.

It claims this would deliver a 10% increase in current biodiversity levels in the area, as well as boost the level of economic output generated by the company to around £6.2 million per year.

However, one member of the group, Sarah Gibbs, who wore a tree costume at the protest, feels the new community woodland is “just a tick box exercise”.

She added:

“They’ve done it to tick boxes and get public access. We just want our woods safe.”

When asked about what alternative plans the group feels may be suitable, Ms Gibbs said:

“We just don’t want to develop into the woodland.

“They could take it into the car park and get a coach to work to be considered ‘green’.”

Another campaigner, Matt Jacobs, added:

“We’re at a point in life whereby we must reconsider single use plastic – it shouldn’t event be legal to sell it.”

An artist impression of the revised plans.

However, despite the group opposing the plan, Harrogate Spring Water already has outline planning permission, and it is now preparing the reserved matters planning application to agree and finalise the details.

At the event, managing director Richard Hall told the Stray Ferret:

“Following last year’s public consultation, we listened and we knew people were concerned about the loss woodland.

“I hope people will see this evening we’ve listened and worked on their feedback, and that this an opportunity for the community.”

Mr Hall said the company understands people’s concerns and said the campaigners “have the right to protest”.

He added that Harrogate Spring Water had “worked hard” to balance investment into the community, jobs, and the environment.

The company said the expansion will create more than 50 jobs and at least 20 construction jobs during the development phase.

In addition, it says it is working alongside local forestry experts to identify other locations in Harrogate where an additional 1,500 trees will be planted to further improve the replacement rate.

The Stray Ferret has reported on Harrogate Spring Water’s plans extensively. You can read more on the topic here.

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Local politicians give views on Harrogate Spring Water expansion plans

The Liberal Democrat candidate aiming to be Harrogate and Knaresborough’s next MP has said he opposes the latest expansion plans by Harrogate Spring Water.

However, the current Conservative MP Andrew Jones has not given an explicit indication of whether he supports or opposes the plans.

Harrogate Spring Water revealed proposals this month to fell 450 trees near its Harlow Moor Drive headquarters so it can expand its bottling plant and produce more plastic bottles.

It says the scheme will create 50 jobs and lead to a net biodiversity gain because it will create a 1,200-tree publicly accessible woodland nearby.

But the campaign group Save Rotary Wood is leading opposition to the loss of trees, which were planted by schoolchildren concerned about climate change.

Harrogate Spring Water, which is owned by French multinational Danone, is holding a public consultation event at the Crown Hotel in Harrogate from 4pm to 7pm tomorrow (Thursday, November 30).

Ahead of the meeting, we asked Mr Jones and Mr Gordon for their views on the subject.

Mr Gordon said:

“Whilst I absolutely want to see more jobs in Harrogate, and the benefit that would bring for our local economy, I do not support the plans in their current form.

“We should be protecting woodland and preserving biodiversity; to suggest there will be a net gain is not guaranteed, as it would take years for new trees to mature.”

Mr Jones gave a lengthier response but did not state explicitly whether he supported the proposal.

He said:

“The level of community engagement by Harrogate Spring Water on their latest application is a significant and welcome improvement on their previous attempt to achieve approval for their extension. That public consultation is critical as the outcome will rightly be a significant part of the considerations of the Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee when they look at the application.

“The environmental offer is a big improvement on what we saw previously. And that is important, as constituents to whom I have spoken want significant additional tree planting and public access to that new woodland if the council are minded to approve the proposals.

“On the face of it, replacing trees that are lost on a 3-to-1 or a 6-to-1 ratio is a large increase in cover. The concern is that saplings will be replacing trees with 25 years’ growth. I have spoken to people who helped plant saplings in Rotary Wood all those years ago and I can understand why that is a very emotive part of these plans.”

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Mr Jones added:

“Having said that, it is also important to acknowledge that Harrogate Water is a successful local business that carries the name of our town across the world. I want that success to continue and to grow.

“So a welcome for the vastly improved public engagement, a welcome for the increased environmental offer alongside public access and a recognition that we want successful businesses locally. But I understand the caution about habitat loss and the loss of an area enjoyed by many for recreation.

“There is a public consultation event this week which can help further shape the proposals. I encourage everyone with an interest to attend that meeting and help ensure that the planners get the best possible application to consider.”

Campaigners to protest at Harrogate Spring Water meeting

Campaigners are to stage a protest at an event held by Harrogate Spring Water this week to discuss its expansion plans.

The company, which is part of French multinational Danone, revealed revised plans this month to expand its bottling plant off Harlow Moor Road. This would involve felling 450 trees planted by schoolchildren in nearby Rotary Wood to combat climate change.

Harrogate Spring Water has said it has a contractual agreement with a landowner to buy two acres of land and plant 1,200 saplings to offset the impact if its planning application is accepted. It claims this would lead to a net biodiversity gain on the site.

About 25 people opposed to the felling of trees attended a Save Rotary Wood event in Harrogate yesterday.

One of the children who planted the trees was among those attending, along with members of Zero Carbon Harrogate and Pinewoods Conservation Group, a North Yorkshire councillor and concerned individuals.

Activist Sarah Gibbs said she would protest in her tree costume at the public consultation event, which takes place at the Crown Hotel in Harrogate from 4pm to 7pm on Thursday.

Yesterday’s meeting also discussed developing a long-term strategy to save the trees and heard concerns about the wider impact development would have on the environment and Harrogate’s reputation.

Among the issues raised were more lorries using the site, whether greater water extraction would affect local water supply and the possibility of further expansion at the site.

Jessica Eaton, of Zero Carbon Harrogate, said:

“Where does it stop? And do we want Harrogate to be associated with plastic bottles? I’m fairly sure most people in Harrogate support us.”

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Arnold Warneken, the Green Party councillor for Ouseburn, said campaigners should focus on valid planning reasons for refusal.

One attendee described direct action as a “last resort” but “not inconceivable”.

Harrogate Spring Water already has outline planning permission, which means the principle of development has been established. It is now preparing a reserved matters planning application, which would agree the details.

Richard Hall, managing director of Harrogate Spring Water, said previously the company believed its revised plans addressed previous concerns and “create a way forward together for the local community and for ourselves as a growing Harrogate business”.

He added:

“We would like people to come and see for themselves what we have planned and how we aim to carry it out.”

Anyone who cannot come along on the day will still be able to see the plans and have their say here.