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10
Nov
Harrogate Spring Water calls for public inquiry into Rotary Wood expansion appeal
Harrogate Spring Water has called for a public inquiry to be held to consider its appeal to expand its bottling plant into Rotary Wood.
The company, which is owned by multinational food and drink company Danone, has challenged North Yorkshire Council’s decision to refuse permission for a major 52,000 sq ft factory extension.
The firm has spent almost 10 years trying to gain approval for the expansion, which would involve felling felling 500 trees on public land in a section of the Pinewoods known as Rotary Wood.
Following a rejection from councillors on Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency planning committee in April, Harrogate Spring Water took the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate — which deals with planning disputes.
Aerial photo of Harrogate Spring Water's bottling plant on Harlow Moor Drive in Harrogate.
The appeal could either be an informal inquiry at which an inspector leads a discussion of the key planning issues, or a public inquiry in which witnesses can be cross-examined.
In appeal documents submitted to the Inspectorate, the company has called for a public inquiry.
The firm said a public hearing would be an “appropriate procedure” due to the “significant public interest in the appeal development”.
It added:
The appellant considers that a public inquiry is the appropriate procedure, given the significant public interest in the appeal development, the likelihood of Rule 6 parties and complex legal and procedural matters which have been raised by objector groups.
An informal hearing is not considered to be an appropriate forum given the likely public interest and need for formal testing of the evidence through cross-examination.
The move comes as council officials confirmed the authority intends to defend the decision to reject the expansion plans.
Meanwhile, campaigners have also set up a £50,000 appeal to help fund their participation in the appeal process.
Sarah Gibbs, of Save Rotary Wood.
Sarah Gibbs, who has led the campaign against the bottling plant expansion for six years, told the Stray Ferret that donations would ensure the community's voice and the case for protecting Rotary Wood would be heard at the appeal.
She added the donations, which would cover legal fees and advice, will be collected through Pinewoods Conservation Group, the charity responsible for protecting the 96-acre woodland that would be affected by the expansion.
Why is the expansion controversial?
Harrogate Spring Water, part of French multinational Danone, wants to double the number of production lines at its factory from two to four.
The expansion would require the felling of 500 trees in Rotary Wood, a section of the Pinewoods behind the factory.
The company says the development would create 50 jobs and contribute £2.3 million a year to the local economy. It has also pledged to plant 3,000 trees elsewhere to offset the loss.
However, campaigners have raised concerns about the destruction of semi-mature woodland planted by children as part of efforts to tackle climate change. The plans have also attracted criticism because the expansion would increase production capacity for plastic bottles.
Harrogate Borough Council granted outline planning permission for the development in 2017.
However, North Yorkshire Council rejected the company’s subsequent reserved matters application, which set out the details of the scheme, in April this year.
Harrogate Spring Water had six months to appeal the decision. In September, managing director Richard Hall confirmed that the company would challenge the refusal.
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