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08
Apr
‘Bottled greenwash’: Campaigners criticise new expansion claims by Harrogate Spring Water
Campaigners against Harrogate Spring Water’s expansion plans have criticised an economic impact analysis by the company as “greenwashing”.
Harrogate Spring Water, which is owned by French multinational Danone, wants to fell 500 trees at its headquarters on Harlow Moor Road to make space for the expansion.
It has offered to plant 3,000 trees elsewhere to compensate but the potential loss of the public woodland, in the Pinewoods, has proved controversial.
In a press release yesterday (April 7), the firm claimed its plan to expand its bottling pant could help to inject £17 million annually into the northern economy and help more than half its suppliers double their contract revenue.
However, both campaigners and local Green Party councillors disputed the claims.
Increased spend
In its analysis, Harrogate Spring Water said around half of the company’s core product and packaging material suppliers are based within 50 miles of its Harrogate site and included manufacturers, logistics firms and service providers.
The company claims that should its expansion be approved, it would increase production capacity and generate higher ongoing demand for many businesses.
The firm estimates its Leeds-based suppliers could see their annual spend increase by 89% to just over £16 million.
Harrogate Spring Water's bottling plant on Harlow Moor Drive, with the threatened Rotary Wood at bottom right.
Meanwhile, combined spend across other packaging-related suppliers is projected to double from around £3.5 million to £6.9 million, the company said.
Ian Swann, operations director at Harrogate Spring Water said:
Harrogate Spring Water has a long history of working with suppliers based here in Yorkshire and across the north. The vast majority of what we use every day is already sourced regionally and our expansion plans would increase demand across our supply chain as part of normal operations, keeping more value in the local economy.
The proposed expansion is currently subject to the planning process. The projected impacts outlined are based on Harrogate Spring Water’s current supply chain and highlight how increased production capacity would subsequently increase total spend on regional suppliers.
Cllrs Warneken and Schofield at the bottling plant.
'They've changed the subject'
Harrogate Spring Water received outline permission for the scheme in 2017, which means the principle of development has been established.
But its reserved matters planning application, covering issues such as access, landscaping and design, still needs to be approved by North Yorkshire Council before the development can proceed.
Campaigners pointed out that an economic benefit for the area is not up for consideration when the council does finally adjudicate on the proposals.
Cllr Arnold Warneken, chair of the North Yorkshire Green Party, said:
This is bottled greenwash. It shows just how little Harrogate Spring Water have to shout about: they’re talking economy when that’s not even up for discussion. The principle of the factory extension has already been decided.
This is about the detail of what they’re offering — and there’s so little to shout about that they’ve changed the subject.
Sarah Gibbs
Sarah Gibbs, of the Save Rotary Wood campaign group, said environmental mitigations and compensation for the community were the key issues.
She said:
The conditional economics Harrogate Spring Water claim are irrelevant at this point. They would be better focusing on the basic certainties, like detailed mitigation and compensation for the community - things that are still missing.
Environmental Impact Assessments from 2016 show that the water table dropped by 13 metres during one year and that they’re discharging manganese and iron into our public sewer. We know for sure what Harrogate Spring Water is taking away - so why are they so uncertain about what they’re giving back?
Councillors deferred a decision in October 2025 after more than 1,000 objections were received.
Councillors are expected to consider the plans again at a Harrogate and Knaresborough area planning committee meeting this year.
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