Campaigners vow to fight bottling plant appeal

Campaigners have vowed to continue their fight against controversial plans to expand a North Yorkshire bottled water factory.

A proposal to extend Harrogate Spring Water's bottling plant was rejected by council planners in April, but the company has said it will appeal against that decision.

Dame Judi Dench and Dame Joanna Lumley were among those who objected to the original plans, and campaigners have said they will raise funds to contest the new appeal.

Councillors said that the proposed landscaping at the factory in Harlow Moor Road would not adequately compensate for the loss of existing trees, and that the appearance of the extension lacked "local distinctiveness".

However, the company believes neither reason justified departing from the professional recommendation to give the go-ahead for the development, which had already been granted outline planning permission.

Richard Hall, managing director of Harrogate Spring Water, said: "We have designed our plans extremely carefully over a number of years and have consulted both with the community and with local planning officials to ensure they are compliant, which officers recognised when they recommended the plans for approval.

"We do not agree with the committee's decision and so our next step is to appeal."

The company, which is owned by the French food company Danone, said considerable work had gone into reducing and compensating for the environmental impact of the development.

Its plans include creating a publicly accessible two-acre woodland next to Rotary Wood on land secured for the community by the company.

It has also pledged to plant six times as many trees as would be lost and said its landscaping scheme was designed in consultation with council ecological experts.

The MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Tom Gordon, said that Danone might not like the decision that was made, but it should be respected.

"They're entitled to appeal it, but I don't think we're going to win any new friends by trying to overturn local decision making," he said.

"Back at that original council meeting, we heard from members of the public, we heard from organisations like Pinewoods Conservation Group, and we heard from people who were pleading their hearts out, quite frankly.

"It's a slap in the face for local people that once again, Danone, a big multinational, super-rich mega corporation, thinks it can trod on the little people."

Harrogate Spring Water said its proposals would deliver a 10% net gain in biodiversity.

It was awarded B Corp accreditation in 2020, which recognises a commitment to social and environment impact.

The company also argued the development was important for the future of the business, and would have wider benefits for the local economy.

About half of its core product and packaging suppliers are based within 50 miles of Harrogate, and the company said expanding production would increase its spending with businesses across Yorkshire and the wider North.

It expected spending with recruitment providers to triple as a result of the expansion, while expenditure on locally sourced cleaning services was projected to double.

The business said other local firms providing services including design, maintenance, training and office supplies would also benefit.

It has previously said the expansion would create more than 50 jobs and provide an estimated £2.3m annual boost to the local economy.

But the decision to appeal has prompted a defiant response from campaigners.

A North Yorkshire Green Party councillor said it was inappropriate "in this day and age when we have a climate crisis".

"It's wrong to take away trees and extract as much water as possible," Arnold Warneken said.

"We all know that going forward, particularly with things like the advent of data centres, water is going to be in short supply.

"So the two things they want to do - increase the amount they extract, and destroy a forest or woodland - are totally contrary to what B Corp accreditation represents."

Sarah Gibbs, spokesperson for the Save Rotary Wood campaign group, said members would fight the appeal.

"We are exploring all our options, including a call for major donors to raise a big war chest to fight the appeal.

"It's shameful that we have to spend money on this, but what precedent will it set if we let this go through?"

Pinewoods Conservation Group said: "We are deeply disappointed that Harrogate Spring Water and its parent company, Danone, intend to appeal North Yorkshire Council's decision to refuse their expansion plans.

"Rotary Wood is an established, publicly accessible community woodland, planted by local people and schoolchildren.

"It provides valuable wildlife habitat and a much-loved space for recreation and wellbeing. Pursuing a scheme that would sacrifice this woodland is the wrong decision for this location and our community.

"We urge Harrogate Spring Water and Danone to reconsider this approach, respect the value of this community asset and explore alternatives that protect the woodland and compensate appropriately."

Harrogate Spring Water said independent polling showed a majority of people in Harrogate supported the sustainable growth of the business, although details of that polling were not included in its announcement.

The company intends to formally lodge its appeal in the coming days, with a decision expected in 2027.

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