TV presenter Julia Bradbury calls on Harrogate councillors to halt plans for water bottling plant on community woodland

Harrogate Borough Council are set to make a decision tomorrow (January 26) over whether Harrogate Spring Water can extend its factory by building onto surrounding woodland, which is currently council-owned and leased to the company, which is owned by Danone.

Rotary Wood is 15-years-old, having been planted by children in the community, and the decision has angered many residents who see the proposal as a step in the wrong direction in the move to become carbon neutral.

In Ms Bradbury’s letter, she writes it would be “morally and financially wrong” to cut down community woodland to build a plastic bottling plant.

The presenter, who is a vocal campaigner for access to the outdoors and against plastic pollution, wrote: “The community needs and deserves access to this much-loved green space on a local scale, and plastic is a major pollution problem that needs tackling on a global scale.”

She added that the United Nations that only nine per cent of the 400m tonnes of plastic waste produced annually is currently recycled, and that by 2050 it is estimated that there will be more plastic in the world's oceans than fish.

"I urge you to consider all of this before you make your decision," she wrote.

"Presumably some of you have children and want them to have a happy and healthy future."

Harrogate Spring Water was initially granted permission to extend its bottle plant facilities, then two years later the company submitted revised proposals for a plant which was 40 per cent larger than the initial blueprint.

The controversial plans have been strongly opposed by environmentalists and the local Green Party, as well as residents.

Hannah Corlett, spokeswoman for Harrogate & District Green Party, said many residents they had spoken to - including those who planted the woods 15 years ago as children - were angry.

“You can’t destroy the environment just to bring in more money,” she told The Yorkshire Post.

“We hope the planning committee understands how angry the community is about this.”

The proposal has been recommended for approval and council officers said in a report: “There are significant economic benefits of the proposed development, including job creation, other financial benefits to the district and the enhancement of the Harrogate brand.”

Rob Pickering, a senior spokesperson for Harrogate Spring Water, said: “We’d like to reassure the local community that the plan for Rotary Wood places a huge focus on supporting the local environment and promoting biodiversity.

“Our plans include a commitment to replacing the trees on a two for one basis and a long term plan to ensure they are looked after and protected. And for the area of Rotary Woods that will remain as woodland, we will be investing to enhance its accessibility and usability for the community. We are and will continue to be good considerate neighbours within Harrogate.”

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