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30
Sept
Boreholes and roadworks: What is happening with Harrogate Spring Water’s pipeline project?
Harrogate Spring Water made headlines yesterday (September 29) by announcing it would appeal the decision to refuse its expansion plans.
Although the expansion, which would involve felling 500 trees, has generated widespread interest, the company is responsible for another issue that is of immediate concern to many local people: roadworks.
That’s because it is installing a pipeline from Killinghall to its headquarters at Harlow Moor Road to transport water from a new borehole for water extraction.
The Stray Ferret first revealed the news about the borehole last year. You can read more here.
Roadworks are currently taking place outside High Warren Farm on Otley Road in Killinghall where the new borehole is situated. It’s the latest disruption to motorists in Killinghall and Harrogate due to the project.
Penny Pot Lane closure
Before the interview, reader Neil Crabtree questioned why Harrogate Spring Water has been allowed to cause “months of disruption” on busy routes such as Otley Road, Oaker Bank, Penny Pot Lane and Cornwall Road this year.
He also noticed the company has requested to close Penny Pot Lane from November 9 to 30.
Mr Crabtree said:
This will be during a school term, on a road that is significantly busy with school run traffic and commuters.
All told, Harrogate Spring Water have disrupted the highway for over seven months, with three utility companies being allowed carte blanche to conduct whatever they want, whenever they want, whereever they want and for however long they want.
During our interview with Richard Hall, managing director of Harrogate Spring Water, we were told the “borehole has been drilled and established” and the current roadworks were necessary to connect power to the site.
Asked about the overall impact of roadworks on residents this year, the company said almost three-quarters of the pipeline had now been installed, and it hoped disruption would end by the first week of December.
It said the only remaining pipeline section to be created was from Cornwall Road to the factory on Harlow Moor Road and it had negotiated with private landowners to divert some of the pipeline away from the highway to ensure “we don't have an extensive road closure”.
Look for another article soon on why the company is drilling another borehole and how much water it plans to extract.
Harrogate Spring Water confirms pipeline project behind roadworks miseryHarrogate Spring Water’s plan for borehole in Killinghall sparks questions about ‘at source’ claimHarrogate Spring Water: A timeline of attempted expansionLegal battle looms as Harrogate Spring Water appeals Pinewoods refusal‘Silent majority support us,’ says Harrogate Spring Water boss
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