Community group Save Rotary Wood Again has announced a peaceful protest at 1pm before the planning meeting on 28 October 2025 at the Civic Centre in Harrogate.
The protest is likely to be colourful – Save Rotary Woods’ spokesman Sarah Gibbs, who is known for dressing up as a tree, is encouraging protesters to come as a plant, animal or mushroom and to bring their dogs too. Sadly, dogs and banners won’t be allowed in the meeting.
Loss of nature
Save Rotary Wood believes the application takes away their much loved-loved community woodland and nature and that, whilst Danone says it will improve nature, their statement of intention doesn’t constitute commitment. The draft Section 106 agreement, which is the way such legal commitments are made in planning, is nowhere to be seen.
Loss of amenity
Danone has said it will buy two acres of land for community use, to make up for the 4 acres of land that the lease will take over. The new compensatory land will continue to be owned by Danone.
Outline approved so long ago that current nature protection rules don’t apply
The ecology officer at the Council says that the old biodiversity rules apply as the outline was approved in 2017.
The application was submitted in 2020, and Harrogate Spring Water have been slowly gathering all the information needed to allow it to go to committee since then.
The Council have also declined a Freedom of Information request to share correspondence from 2022 and 2023.
Sarah Gibbs, Save Rotary Wood Again:
No more greenwash! Do we really have to wait another 20 years to get our woodland back? And how long will it be ours anyway, when it belongs to Danone?
This can’t slip by while no-one’s watching.
If you care about our precious woodland, come and join us on the 28th.
Cllr Arnold Warneken, speaking for all four Greens said:
Residents are just asking for honesty and clarity. Let’s not present good intentions as done deals.
We hope the planning committee makes its decision based on evidence in the application, not claims made in the press.
The peaceful protest will take place at 1pm before the planning meeting at the Civic Centre on 28 October. For more information, follow Save Rotary Wood Again on Facebook.
The cause has been championed by Pinewoods Conservation Group, CPRE, local Independent Councillor Mike Schofield and all four Green Councillors Warneken, Brown, Noland and Foster at North Yorkshire Council.
