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27
Oct
Harrogate Spring Water's claims 'in no way relevant', says councillor
Harrogate Spring Water’s claims of widespread public backing for its proposed bottling plant extension “should in no way be thought of as relevant”, according to the councillor for the division that includes the business.
As we reported on Thursday, the company claimed last week that there was “strong local support” for the expansion, citing a survey it had commissioned showing that “71% of Harrogate residents, who expressed an opinion, have a positive impression of Harrogate Spring Water’s plans”.
But Mike Schofield, who represents Harlow and St George’s on North Yorkshire Council, said the claims were not relevant because they “have nothing to do with the reserved matters under consideration by the council”.
He added:
They’re trying to sway people to think that everything’s OK, but we should really be concentrating on the 12 reserved matters.
Harrogate Spring Water is owned by Danone, which last year recorded sales of €27.4 billion.
Last week, Harrogate Spring Water’s boss, Richard Hall, urged people to look at the “big picture”, saying: “We want development in North Yorkshire and this is an opportunity”.
But Cllr Schofield said:
The company’s ‘big picture’ is actually a very narrow view. If you look back, Harrogate has never been averse to big business – we've had ICI, Octavius Atkinson and Dunlopillo here – but it’s got to be done properly.
I don’t think they’re looking at the big picture – they’re just looking at what suits them.
Cllr Schofield also questioned the survey findings, saying that the 200-person sample is “hardly a substantial number of participants”, and raised questions about how and when the survey was conducted.
Harrogate Spring Water’s survey appears to contradict the other main barometer of local sentiment: responses to the planning application itself. The application received 1,068 objections – almost 99% of all responses – and just 11 expressions of support.
Due to this discrepancy, the Stray Ferret asked Harrogate Spring Water a series of questions about the methodology used to conduct the survey.
A spokesperson said they needed to “confirm some of the finer details” with the survey company, Censuswide, and would respond “as soon as we have more clarity”. That was last Tuesday, and we have heard nothing since.
Harrogate Spring Water's reserved matters planning application is due to be decided when the council's Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Planning Committee meets at 2pm tomorrow (October 28).
Due to widespread public interest in the case, and its contentious nature, unusually it is the only item on the agenda.
The Stray Ferret will be covering the meeting as it happens, live from Harrogate Civic Centre.
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