The Government could intervene in a bottled water company’s controversial plans to extend its Harrogate factory into an area of community woodland.
Ministers have instructed North Yorkshire Council not to make a decision on plans by Harrogate Spring Water to increase the size of its plant in the town’s Harlow Moor Road while it considers whether to call in the application.
Members of the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area planning committee deferred a decision on the expansion amid objections from campaign groups and local politicians over the loss of around 500 trees in Rotary Wood in October.
The application was expected to be considered again early in the new year.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government was alerted to concerns about the application by Tom Gordon, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.
In his letter to the Government, the Liberal Democrat MP highlighted the absence of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) from the application reports.
He said:
“I welcome the Government’s intervention following my calls, temporarily pausing a planning application that would see 500 trees removed and giving our community a real chance to protect Rotary Wood.
“This action allows the Government to review the process so far and decide whether it’s necessary to call in the application and take the decision into its own hands.
“It is, however, deeply concerning that, at this stage, there is still no plan for a proper EIA. I will continue working closely with Pinewoods and other stakeholders to explore every option to safeguard our woodland for future generations.”
In her response to the MP, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government, said:
“Your request is currently under consideration and your views, along with all other relevant information, will be taken into account before the Secretary of State decides whether or not to call in the application for determination.
“A holding direction has been issued to the council which prevents it from granting planning permission before a decision on call-in has been made.”
North Yorkshire Council’s head of development management, Martin Grainger, said:
“We can confirm that we have received a letter from the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
“As this is a live planning application, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this stage.”
A spokesperson for Danone UK & Ireland, parent company of Harrogate Spring Water, said:
“We have worked constructively with council officers and engaged with the local community to ensure our plans align with planning policy and reflect the commitments we have made.
“The planning documents (including S106 and Condition 12) provide certainty for both the community and the Council and strike the right balance between sustainable development and economic growth.”
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