Harrogate Town Council unanimously opposed the expansion plans of Harrogate Spring Water at a meeting last week.
The long-running application for the expansion of the plant, owned by French multinational Danone, had been deferred by North Yorkshire Council’s local Planning Committee, so the Town Council took the opportunity to take a view on the proposal.
Lib Dem councillor Graham Dixon, who represents Harlow on the Town Council, was the one to ask the Council to consider the application following the deferral.
Cllr. Dixon said:
“This proposed expansion destroys yet more green space in Harrogate, and the draft conditions go nowhere near far enough to limit it.
“If that wasn’t bad enough, the ecological conditions relating to the original planning application remain unfulfilled after 8 long years.
“Furthermore, the transport issue, which cause considerable inconvenience in the local area already, would only get worse.
“I welcome that the council opposed the expansion across party lines. When I talk to the residents in Harlow whom I represent, they are almost all opposed to this application, so I am glad that the Council has backed them today.”
During the meeting, Cllr. Mark Warr, another Lib Dem Councillor, who represents Pannal Ward, said:
“This Council should not oppose investment or development in Harrogate lightly; however, this proposal is just in the wrong place.”
Due to the unusual nature of the deferral by the North Yorkshire Council planning committee, the Town Council said it was ‘careful to follow the correct procedure’.
Town councillors who are also North Yorkshire councillors and serve on North Yorkshire Council’s planning committee left the room entirely for the duration of the discussions, and for the votes.
The Council moved quickly to a vote and it was decided unanimously to object to the proposal.
Councillor Mike Schofield, who has been fighting vigorously for the application to be properly considered, said:
“This is great news and I want to thank the Town Council for standing up for what’s right.
"I hope that they will stick to the facts when putting together their views – as some points made about Harrogate Spring Water were heartfelt but not necessarily persuasive in planning terms.
"The Council needs to carefully follow the rules to the letter so their view counts.”
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