North Yorkshire set to approve Harrogate Spring Water extension
The recommendation for Friday’s meeting is to approve the highly contested 52,000 sq ft extension at one of the town’s best-known companies.
Plans to extend its bottling facility into land on Rotary Woods were delayed last October, as North Yorkshire Council requested more information on how the company intends to make up for the loss of woodland.
It then requested that the government rule on the decision, however in February this year Steve Reed, secretary of state for housing, communities, and local government, said in a letter to Harrogate MP Tom Gordon, that the government would not rule 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.”
The proposed development would consist of three units measuring 52,000 sq ft, and create around 50 jobs in the town. It would extend north of the current facility onto around four acres of woodland.
Harrogate Spring Water 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.
Another scumbag corporate company destroying the environment for shareholder profit. This will be a stain on Harrogate and stinks of brown envelopes. Shame on Labour for not intervening. This govt really has no backbone and has sold itself to the corporations. What does Labour stand for?
By Fergus Clawson
A sad day for the people of Harroagte, such a shame local councillors decided in favour of Danone over the local population (their voters and neighbours).
By Ed Abbey