Govt bats Harrogate Spring decision back to North Yorkshire
Plans to extend the water company’s premises into woodland on its Harlow Moor Road site were delayed last October after the council deferred its decision and ministers considered calling in the application.
However, Steve Reed, secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, said in a letter to Harrogate MP Tom Gordon, that the government will not be ruling on the plans.
The letter read: “I am sorry that this is not the outcome that you or your constituents may have hoped for, and I realise the decision will come as a disappointment.
“However, it is now for North Yorkshire Council to determine the application.”
Plans to extend Harrogate Spring Water’s consist of three units measuring around 52,000 sq ft, which would extend north of the current facility onto around four acres of woodland.
HSW openly acknowledges that the proposal will necessitate the removal of trees and cause harm to the landscape, but believes this would be outweighed by the economic benefits to the town.
Landscaping and ecological proposals include planting around 400 trees on site; the creation of a new, two-acre publicly accessible woodland next to the factory; the planting of 3,000 trees around Harrogate; a drainage pond; a living wall; and potentially a green roof – although this would be determined later on.
The project team includes planning consultant Barton Willmore and its landscape design branch, both of which are now owned by Stantec.
