The Pinewoods Conservation Group has now submitted a formal objection to the Reserved Matters Application to North Yorkshire Council, for the extension of the Harrogate Spring Water/ Danone application to extend their bottling plant into the established woodland of the Pinewoods.
This objection raises serious procedural, ecological, and policy-based concerns regarding the proposed extension of the Harrogate Spa Water bottling facility.
A spokesperson for the Pinewoods Conservation Group, said:
The Pinewoods Conservation Group following a legal review has now submitted a detailed objection to the latest Harrogate Spa Water bottling plant expansion plans because after seven years, key environmental and community conditions still haven’t been met.
Condition 12, which required a full ecological mitigation and management plan before any detailed planning stage, remains unresolved — meaning the original permission should have lapsed years ago. Despite this, the developer continues to push forward without transparency, and with no published Section 106 agreement to secure long-term habitat protection or biodiversity compensation.
The proposed expansion would destroy valuable public green space that forms part of the Pinewoods and wider Harrogate green corridor – land that has long been recognised as an Asset of Community Value. This area is not just important for wildlife; it is a much-loved space used daily by walkers, families, and visitors.
Harrogate residents deserve responsible development that enhances, not erodes, our natural environment. We are calling on North Yorkshire Council to stand by its environmental commitments, uphold the planning conditions already in place, and protect this unique part of our town for future generations.
