Tom Gordon MP had previously secured a Government Intervention on Harrogate Spring Water Expansion bottling plant plans.
Tom had successfully secured Government intervention on the plans after his letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government raised serious concerns about the planning process.
The Danone-owned company’s proposal, which would see around 500 trees removed from Rotary Wood, has sparked widespread opposition, with more than 1,000 formal objections submitted.
In his letter to the Government, Tom highlighted critical failings in the planning process, including the absence of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) at both the outline and reserved matters stages. Without an EIA, alternative options were not considered, and cumulative environmental impacts were not assessed.
In response, the Government had intervened and stopped North Yorkshire Council from granting planning permission while it reviews the case and decides whether to call in the application and take the decision into its own hands.
The Secretary of State has now responded, returning the matter to North Yorkshire Council.
Comment from Tom Gordon MP:
It’s disappointing that the Secretary of State has decided not to call in Danone’s planning application.
This is a David and Goliath battle, one of a large foreign multinational corporation versus local residents who will have to deal with the impact of our natural resources being exploited for private profit.
We have fantastic local residents, councillors, and organisations like the Pinewoods Conservation group and a proper grassroots community led campaign – I’ll continue to work with them going forward as the application progresses.
The decision will now return to North Yorkshire Council – there is not a confirmed date for this at this juncture.
