Harrogate's 'longest-running and most contentious' development battle is about to enter final phase
A key decision over expansion plans by Harrogate Spring Water in a long-running controversy which has lasted for nearly a decade could be only a fortnight away.
Potential dates have come and gone for the discussion of the premium bottled water company’s reserved matters application by county councillors on the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Planning Committee.
Harrogate Spring Water, once a family-owned firm before being taken over in 2020 by the Danone empire which also owns Evian and Volvic, originally secured outline planning permission in 2017 to expand into neighbouring woodland on Harlow Hill.
Ever since then, the plans have faced major opposition from Save Rotary Wood Campaign, the town’s MP, local councillors and the Pinewoods Conservation Group over the loss of trees at Rotary Wood, as well as the factory’s appearance, size and landscaping.
At one point the issue even went national with a series of well-known personalities entering the fray against the plans.
Following the submission by Harrogate Spring Water of its final expansion proposals in May, North Yorkshire Council was expected to bring this long-running saga towards a conclusion in August.
Now it seems this contentious issue may go to the planning committee of Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors as early as Monday, October 20.
The expansion would mean the loss of around 500 trees in Rotary Wood, an area of community woodland planted by Harrogate Rotary Club and local schoolchildren around 20 years ago and owned by North Yorkshire Council.
Harrogate Spring Water says it will plant 2,500 new trees to make up for those lost due to the expansion.
This would include a new publicly accessible two-acre woodland adjacent to Rotary Wood and behind the existing Harrogate Spring Water site on Harlow Moor Road.
Despite the company’s revisions to the plans following various public consultations, opponents have a long list of doubts over the details of the scheme, as well as more general environmental concerns about the use of plastics for bottled water.
The proposed expansion is expected to generate more than 50 new jobs and provide at least 20 construction jobs during the build phase.