Revealed: Harrogate MP to oppose new version of Harrogate Spring Water’s controversial expansion plans

The leading bottled water brand which carries the town’s name around the world was hoping its latest ideas to compensate for the loss of trees at Rotary Wood would be sufficient.

But Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, Tom Gordon, says he will be opposing the Reserved Matters application submitted recently to North Yorkshire Council by Harrogate Spring Water, which, since 2020, has been part of the Danone empire which also owns Evian and Volvic.

“Harrogate Spring Water should be looking to invest in the town not just by providing jobs and trees but by creating a larger area that local residents can come and enjoy, so that those who aren’t working for them actually benefit from the expansion,” said the Lib Dem MP.

“I’m not supporting these plans.

"How can they expect anyone to support their plan when it only takes away from the town?

"The bare minimum when it comes to the environment simply isn’t good enough.

"Harrogate Spring Water need to go further and should be trying to give back to the town whose name it uses.

"More woodland would give people the chance to go out and enjoy nature.

"If they want to do their part for the environment, they should be taking steps to utilise more glass, and create a bottle deposit return scheme, which would also show us that Harrogate Spring Water actually care about the town, rather than just making money.”

The MP’s opposition will come as a blow for Harrogate Spring Water which, after conducting a series of public consultations over 12 months, had announced it would also be creating a new publicly accessible woodland planted on two acres of land immediately next to Rotary Wood and to the rear of the existing Harrogate Spring Water operations on Harlow Moor Road.

The revised version of the factory expansion would also see additional tree planting within the current Rotary Wood site, where it aims to expand its production facilities.