Why protesters are launching Save Rotary Wood - Again as Harrogate Spring Water prepares to reveal new expansion plans

After holding another consultation on the latest version of expansion plans for its bottled water plant on Harlow Hill, Harrogate Spring Water last week revealed it was now finalising the details to submit to planners at Harrogate Borough Council.But local environment groups say they remain deeply worried about the potential impact on woodland in the area - despite pledges by the firm's new owners Danone to listen to the community and scale back the size of the expansion.Residents such as Sarah Gibbs are now throwing their weight behind a Save Rotary Wood - Again! campaign with plans for a series of public events in the weeks ahead.The environmentally-committed school teacher argues the threat to trees remains the same and is calling for the company to take into account the ecological implications before pushing ahead with its revised expansion plans.

"I attended the recent public consultation by Harrogate Spring Water ,” said Sarah Gibbs.

"I saw no evidence of this, nor any evidence of an Arboricultural Impact Assessment or Tree Protection Plan to accurately assess the condition of the establishing trees at Rotary Wood and to identify trees of higher value for retention.

"It was planted by the community, including local school children, 17 years ago and is well-used and well-loved."It is a native, deciduous woodland with areas of wetland supporting specialised species."It's a type of woodland of great importance to biodiversity."Harrogate Spring Water’s expansions plans have become one of the town’s most contentious debates since this bottled water brand secured outline planning permission for its expansion in 2017.But, as the range of local community groups against the plans grew, so did the pressure on both the company and local politicians.

At one point, plans to destroy acres of local woodland planted originally by school children even attracted the involvement of national celebrities including popular TV presenter Julia Bradbury who spoke out against the Harrogate’s famous bottled water company.

The end result was that new larger expansion plans submitted by the company in 2019 were ejected by councillors on Harrogate Borough Council's planning committee over fears not enough was being done to mitigate the loss of trees.Members of the Save Rotary Wood - Again! campaign now say they are unconvinced by assurances by recent Harrogate Spring Water's multi-national owners Danone that it was looking into ways to achieve net biodiversity gain for the site, with proposals for a compensatory tree planting scheme.

“The commitment by Danone/HSW to replace felled trees at a rate of two to one demonstrates a complete lack of ecological and conservation awareness,” said Sarah Gibbs.

"The area is a wildlife corridor and provides connectivity, without which would result in fragmentation, something highlighted in Harrogate Borough Council’s own Habitat Action Plan Woodland.

She added: "Fragmentation of woodland is in itself a threat. Protecting, expanding and linking existing woodland blocks is important for the conservation of biodiversity.”

Harrogate Spring Water says the expansion will create more than 30 new jobs for local people with at least 25 jobs during the construction process and give a boost to Harrogate’s economy of more than £1.3million a year.

And, the firm adds, its business rates, which contribute to the funding of public services, will increase by more than £900,000 a year.

But campaigners argue the needs of the environment and climate change ought to take priority, especially in a town as prosperous as Harrogate.

"Danone have yet again used the argument of more jobs, despite there being high employability in Harrogate and a great need to protect our green spaces during the climate crisis.

"Plastic bottles still mostly require oil. Harrogate Spring Water is a company which extracts water, bottles it in plastic and sells it worldwide, adding to carbon emissions in the process.”

On Sunday, October 2 campaigners will walk all the way from Harrogate Convention Centre to Rotary Wood next to Harrogate Spring Water's plant at Harlow Moor Road.

As well as a show of solidarity, the event aims to highlight what is at stake for Harrogate if the right steps are not taken.

On being appointed managing director at HSW earlier in the year Richard Hall said it was “vital for the company to take our environmental responsibilities seriously” and “we want to work in partnership with the local community on this.”

Save Rotary Wood - Again! is calling on Harrogate Spring Water to do just that – to live up to its promises on listening to the community and work together in a true partnership with the town.

"If Danone were listening 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.

"We would like to see the appropriate surveys to completed before any ‘finalisation’ of their plans and that research the current climate crisis and how plastic pollution and deforestation contribute to this.

"It is important that the people in our town, understand that they can be truly heard, and that their efforts to save Rotary Wood were not, and are not in vain."

Walk for our Woods, Harrogate Convention Centre takes place at 11am, Sunday, October 2.