A campaigner has accused Harrogate Spring Water of “greenwashing” over its latest plans to expand its plastic bottled water plant over a community woodland.

Sarah Gibbs, who has staged several protests dressed as a tree, said she had seen “no evidence” from the company on how it will manage the environmental impacts of the proposed expansion at Rotary Wood, which was planted by children 17 years ago.

Her comments come as Harrogate’s Green Party, Extinction Rebellion and other campaign groups are set to protest against the plans today.

Harrogate Spring Water, which is owned by French firm Danone, recently held a public consultation and is now “finalising” its proposals after a larger expansion was refused by Harrogate Borough Council last year.

Ms Gibbs said she took part in a recent consultation event, but added she was left with more questions than answers. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:

“I am interested to know how Harrogate Spring Water are finalising plans without a recent ecological survey.

“I attended the public consultation and saw no evidence of this, nor any evidence of an arboricultural impact assessment or tree protection plan.

“What I did see was a great deal of greenwashing, for example, launching a litter picking campaign.

“I have found Harrogate Spring Water bottles littering the streets of Harrogate and London.

“This is not a solution to a problem perpetuated by this industry.”

Read more:

• Harrogate Spring Water investigating new water sources on council land
• Harrogate Spring Water ‘finalising’ latest expansion plans

In response, a Harrogate Spring Water spokesperson said the company would listen to all concerns from the community and that environmental impact assessments would be provided when the new proposals are revealed in full.

The spokesperson said:

“We remain committed to this approach and to taking on board people’s views about the design and landscaping of the proposed extension, which was granted outline planning permission by Harrogate Borough Council in 2017.

“We are currently putting together our updated proposals for how the new building will look and how the surrounding area will be landscaped.

“We intend to put these proposals on display to the public to gather their thoughts before we send our updated reserved matters proposals to the council.”

When the larger expansion plans were refused in January 2021, the council was accused of putting “profit and plastic before the environment” as the authority recommended approval.

This sparked a huge backlash by the community, and the plans were later rejected by members of the council’s planning committee who said they could not support the recommendation as approval would have been “damaging” for Harrogate’s image.

Harrogate Spring Water, Harlow Moor Road in Harrogate.

Harrogate Spring Water then announced it would revert back to original plans for a smaller expansion, although questions remain over how much of Rotary Wood could be felled as the final designs have yet to be revealed.

Ms Gibbs, who will hold a protest walk from Harrogate Convention Centre to Rotary Wood on Sunday, said she was against the expansion altogether as the woodland needed to be protected because of its “great importance” to biodiversity and the community.

She said:

“If Harrogate Spring Water and Danone indeed listened to the community, they would not still be considering the deforestation of Rotary Wood.

“It is, in part, due to community action and outcry that the further expansion on the outline planning was refused.

“It is important that the people of the Harrogate district, and beyond, understand that they can be truly heard, and that their efforts to save Rotary Wood were not, and are not in vain. Still.”

Climate activists from Extinction Rebellion (XR) will drive a bus to Pateley Bridge and Harrogate tomorrow to talk to people about climate change.

But although the bus has solar panels on its roof, the bus is not electric and is powered by diesel.

A fleet of multicoloured buses have been travelling the country as part of XR’s Change Is Now tour.

The idea is to visit different XR groups and have conversations with local people about their climate change hopes and fears.

Tomorrow morning, the bus will be in Pateley Bridge to promote a film called 2040, which is showing at Summerbridge Methodist Chapel from 6.30pm that evening. Entry is free.

They will then park up in Harrogate and head to Cambridge Street between 12pm and 4pm to talk to people and canvas views.

A petition calling on the government to take firmer action on climate change will be available to sign.

People can also bring along plain t-shirts or fabrics to get them block-printed with XR graphics.

James Smith, from XR Harrogate, said:

“People really want to talk about climate change.

“When they talk, it becomes more real to people and they then might take action.”

Read more:

• Green Shoots: Keeping Harrogate district trees healthy
• Green Shoots: What it’s like to own an electric car in Harrogate

Mr Smith said he was expecting some criticism about XR using a diesel bus rather than an electric one.

He added:

“Even a group of totally committed green activists have to use a diesel bus, there are no viable, affordable electric buses.

“But this is the point — no matter how green you are you can’t always take the eco, fossil fuel free option that you’d like. We’re calling on the government to plan and fund a zero-carbon economy. “

Extinction Rebellion’s visit will also coincide with the Green Party’s national conference, which is taking place from Friday until Sunday at Harrogate Convention Centre.

A group of Harrogate residents will march through the town on Saturday to demand action on climate change.

The group, which includes members from Extinction Rebellion Harrogate, Harrogate & District Green Party and Harrogate District Cycle Action, will be meeting at 11am at Library Gardens on Victoria Avenue with the march finishing at the war memorial. Anyone is welcome to join them.

James Smith from XR Harrogate attended the COP26 conference in Glasgow along with 12 other people from Harrogate.

They joined over 100,000 people through the streets of the city, which he said was a “fantastic party atmosphere”. They thought they’d like to bring the same spirit to Harrogate.

Mr Smith said:

“There are young and old in Harrogate who are passionate and prepared to do stuff.

“It may be hard, but people have to realise that change is coming.”

Read more:

• Harrogate’s addiction to SUVs contributing to climate crisis
• Green Shoots: Why Harrogate should be at the vanguard of tackling climate change

The climate crisis has seeped into the public’s consciousness over the last few years. Mr Smith said he wants the march to help keep pressure on politicians and show that the public demands action.

He said:

“If they want to get elected, they need to do something.

“People feel powerless, but even waving a flag you can make a difference.”

Harrogate resident Ian Hallett will also be attending the march after cycling to COP26 and back. He added:

“This is an opportunity for many of the residents of Harrogate to come along and show their support for measures to limit climate change and to mark the end of COP26.”