Protesters at Harrogate council offices voice anger over Harrogate Spring Water's expansion plans

Harrogate Spring Water 'pleased' by planners' backing for its expansion plans

The campaign groups hope that the delivery of the local messages in bottles at the entrance of Harrogate Civic Centre earlier today will emphasise the need for those on Harrogate Borough Council's planning committee to question who and what they are representing when they make the long-awaited decision next Tuesday, January 26.

Harlow Greens Campaigner Rebecca Maunder said: "We’ve had a lot of shocked and appalled responses from local people who were firstly unaware of the plans to destroy a community woodland at Rotary Wood, and secondly that the council can even consider being complicit in this".

She continued: "‘We are acutely aware of the climate and ecological crises and people are realising what really matters is our health and wellbeing which is intrinsically connected to the health of the ecosystem and the nature that surrounds us.

"We can work together for positive change, and we need those in positions of power to engage and collaborate with the wider community for long-term solutions".

Sarah Gibbs, who has been demonstrating outside the council offices at Knapping Mount, today, Friday, said: "The economic benefits do not outweigh the negative impacts.

"Rotary Wood is the people’s wood: a community asset. It is 4-acres of our local children's hopes and dreams of a healthier future.

"It is health and well-being; carbon sequestration; a linking corridor and a thriving habitat to many species of flora and fauna.

"It is a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that is the bigger picture: deforestation, plastic pollution, water extraction, and carbon emissions on a global scale. And of a system that is failing us."

She added: "The decision that our council makes on Tuesday will communicate to us where their priorities lie: to represent the people of Harrogate District or the interests of a global corporation: the world’s fourth worst offender for plastic pollution.

"We need refill not landfill. We need more habitats. We need to cut out plastic and save Rotary Wood".

A range of local groups have united over the controversial plans as they make their final plea to Harrogate Borough Council ouncil to reject the 40% larger expansion.

The council approved a smaller factory size in 2017 and the groups argue that this is a compromise that could be taken as long as the

compensation plans can be fully agreed to replace the loss of valuable amenity and wildlife space.

Decision time for Harrogate Spring Water’s divisive expansion plans at Rotary Wood

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