North Yorkshire Council has now confirmed the Planning Committee Date for the Harrogate Spring Water bottling plant expansion plans.
The council has given a one-week notice of planning application going before a Planning Committee on Friday 17 April at 2pm.
Approval of the plans would see the removal of a section of established woodland in the Pinewoods, to allow a new bottling plant to be built by Harrogate Spring Water, now a brand of Danone. There would also be an increase in haulage traffic to the plant.
Harrogate Spring Water (Danone) are pushing through with the plans as they say they need the additional bottling capacity, and are mitigating the woodland loss by planting elsewhere.
The Harrogate Pinewoods group have said they are extremely disappointed that this decision is being pushed through at short notice, rather than being scheduled on previously published committee dates. It limits the time available for residents and community groups to properly review the latest documents, some only published this Easter week, and prepare responses on an issue of major local importance.
A spokesperson for The Pinewoods Conservation Group said:
This has all the hallmarks of a decision being pushed through quickly to avoid proper scrutiny that is disappointing after almost 10 years! That’s not how democratic planning should work—especially when the loss of valued woodland and community space is at stake.
Councillors are being asked to approve a scheme where mature woodland will be lost now in exchange for uncertain replacement that could take decades, where key environmental questions—particularly around ecology and water impacts—remain unresolved, and where the proposed mitigation only lasts for a limited period.
When so many residents have raised serious concerns, this should be subject to full and careful consideration, not rushed through in a way that limits proper public engagement.
Tom Gordon MP, said:
We cannot risk losing the cherished Rotary Wood and its 500 community-planted trees to a multinational corporation. We’ve already seen serious failings in the planning process and a lack of transparency.
The proposal allows for new trees to be planted but Danone will be able to deny people access and one day the community may have no right to enjoy it at all.
The community have made their opinion very clear- the expansion has had more than 1000 objections. We won’t stand for it.
To see the full plans:
