After five years of controversy Harrogate Spring Water reveals new version of its expansion plans at public consultation

The company put forward full details of its latest proposals at an open event at The Crown Hotel in Harrogate on Thursday, November 30.

At the centre of the plans is the creation of a new area of publicly accessible community woodland.

Harrogate Spring Water has entered into an agreement, pending a successful application, to acquire two acres of land immediately next to Rotary Wood where it will plant around 1,200 trees and landscape the area to provide an accessible green space open to the public.

This plan for a new community woodland will be included in its Revised Matters application to North Yorkshire Council.

The plans sit at the heart of Harrogate Spring Water’s vision for the future of its operations off Harlow Moor Road.

Demonstrating its commitment to continue to be fully part of the local community and represents a significant part of the overall investment which it is making in expanding its presence in Harrogate.

Richard Hall said: “As a business whose success is rooted in the town of Harrogate and its people, it is a priority for us to work in partnership with the local community.

“It is very important for us that, as we look to grow the company, create new job opportunities and invest further in the local and regional economy, we take the time to listen to the community.

“That’s why we have been working hard over the past year to create revised plans which address the primary concern we heard from the public during last year’s consultation, the potential loss of accessible public woodland areas.

“After months of planning, we are very pleased to finally be able to share our proposals with the local community which will allow us to grow as well as provide community woodland space.”

The company has also committed to planting an additional 260 trees on the current Rotary Wood site where it aims to expand its production facilities.

Taken together with the new community woodland, this means that any trees in Rotary Wood which are removed as a result of the proposed expansion will be replaced at a ratio of 3:1.

The expansion will help to create more than 50 new jobs for local people at Harrogate Spring Water, in addition to at least 20 jobs in the local construction sector during the build phase.

It will boost the level of economic output generated – known as Gross Valued Added (GVA) - by Harrogate Spring Water by around £2.3m a year to £6.2m a year.

The plans also aim to deliver a 10% increase in current biodiversity levels in the area.

Harrogate Spring Water is also working alongside local forestry experts to identify other locations in Harrogate where an additional 1,500 trees will be planted, further improving the replacement rate.

In addition to details about the new community woodland area, visitors to the public consultation were also shown details including artist’s impressions and site plans of the proposed expansion to Harrogate Spring Water’s headquarters.

The information can also be found online at https://www.harrogatespring.com/facility-extension/

As well as today’s open public consultation, Harrogate Spring Water has also been holding consultation meetings with key conservation and civic groups in the town.

Harrogate Spring Water secured outline planning permission for its expansion in 2017 with a plan that was passed unanimously by Harrogate Borough Council.

The Reserved Matters application which the company is now planning to put forward to North Yorkshire Council will contain details on the size and design of the expanded production facility as well as information on matters including landscaping and biodiversity net gain.

Feedback received both at today’s consultation event and via Harrogate Spring Water’s dedicated expansion website will be included within the Reserved Matters application.