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09
Mar 2024
Harrogate Spring Water plans: 552 object, 6 support
Harrogate Spring Water's plans to expand its bottling plant have attracted overwhelming opposition during the public consultation.
The four-week consultation on one of Harrogate's most controversial planning applications officially ends on Sunday, March 10.
North Yorkshire Council's planning website showed 552 responses had objected and six were in favour at the time of publication.
The company, which is part of French-owned multi-national Danone, wants to fell 450 trees in a section of the Pinewoods known as Rotary Wood to make space for the expansion. Harrogate Spring Water has agreed to plant 1,500 saplings to create a community woodland as mitigation for the loss of trees.
The Stray Ferret has followed the expansion plans closely. You can read a recent summary here.
The council will consider the consultation responses before deciding whether to approve the planning application.
Many of those objecting cite environmental concerns. One says:
Another says:
In its submission, Duchy Residents Association said "we cannot think of any other application that we have come across that has requested the removal of more than 3 mature trees, let alone a whole expanse of them".
Commenting on the design of the building, Harrogate Civic Society said "the elevation shown is disappointing and too industrial in appearance"
When the planning application was submitted last month, Richard Hall, managing director of Harrogate Spring Water, said the community woodland "will be fully accessible to the public and we hope will become a valued resource for the local community for many years to come".
Harrogate Spring Water received outline planning permission for the scheme in 2017, which remains valid. This means the principle of development has been established. The current reserved matters stage deals with its appearance, size and landscaping. Councillors rejected a previous reserved matters application in 2021,
You can view planning documents and comment on the application by visiting the council’s planning portal here and typing in reference number 20/01539/REMMAJ where it says ‘enter a keyword’.
Lib Dem candidate objects
Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, is among those objecting.
He has requested a meeting with the company to discuss the proposals.
Mr Gordon said he was "sceptical" about claims of a net biodiversity gain through the creation of a new woodland, which would see saplings replace mature trees.
The Stray Ferret asked Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, if he supported or objected to the proposals. His office told us he had nothing to add to the comments he gave here in November.
Read more:
- Harrogate Spring Water campaigners step-up plans to save trees
- Harrogate Spring Water submits controversial expansion plans
- Work set to begin soon on 'poor value' Harrogate Station Gateway
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