Councillor concerned over housing plans at home of Harrogate's award-winning flower displays

Councillor Jim Clark said he feels more people should be aware of the proposals for up to 40 homes at Harrogate council's Central Nursery, where thousands of plants are grown for the district’s award-winning gardens.

The nursery on Harlow Hill also sells leftover plants and compost to members of the public, but could be relocated if the housing plans go-ahead.

Councillor Clark - who represents the Harrogate Harlow ward - said the nursery is a "very sensitive site" which must be treated with the "greatest respect".

He said: "Harrogate has a national and international reputation as a floral town. It has always prided itself on the large number of - if not all - flowers it grows in the borough and the nursery has been a major part of that.

"There is a long way to go with these plans but I think people should be alerted to it."

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Senior councillors will meet this week to appoint a consultant to develop the housing plans, along with two other sites at the Dragon Road car park in Harrogate and land south of Almsford Bridge in Pannal.

The sites are included in the council's Local Plan, but no planning applications have yet been submitted.

It comes after the council conducted a survey on the future of the nursery, with one resident saying "I hope this nursery is not going to close. Don’t ruin anything with more houses please."

Another said: "It would be a very, very sad day if the site was sold off for housing.”

The nursery is located near the town's Pinewoods where plans from Harrogate Spring Water to expand a bottling facility have been met with opposition from campaigners.

The Pinewoods Conservation Group have now also expressed concerns that parts of the woodland near the nursery could be under threat from the housing plans.

A spokesperson said: "This will see further enclosure of the Pinewoods and the likely loss of many trees within the nursery site if the 40 houses are built. It is also a key access point for many residents and visitors that could be at risk as part of any major development.

"This is one the group will monitor over the next year and we can only hope that the council, and its appointed consultant, will look to engage with us on the sites future.”

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A council spokesman said: “The plans are very much in the early stages.

“We have no plans to stop our growing activities and will continue delivering the award winning floral displays for which the Harrogate district is well known for and attracts thousands of visitors every year.”

The nursery is currently closed but will reopen on 21 September.

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter