Tom Gordon MP - Residents have been listened to, the plastic bottling plant plan has been rejected for now.

Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough has
welcomed the rejection of plans expand a multinational corporation’s plastic water
bottling site, at the cost of hundreds of trees at Rotary Wood.

It was today announced that Danone’s plans to expanding its plant at Harrogate
Spring Water, following objections from over 1,000 residents and a peaceful protest
outside the planning meeting, have been knocked back.

Danone, the multinational that owns Harrogate Spring can appeal the decision of the
Planning Committee and may have opportunity to put in another application further
down the line.

Tom Gordon MP, who has long opposed the expansion, has spoken out saying it’s a
relief that the committee has seen sense but that we need to remain vigilant.

Tom said:
“Common sense has finally prevailed. Swapping a cherished woodland for a plastic
water bottling plant should never have been on the table.

I’m glad that the committee finally rejected it, but it shouldn’t have taken so many
signatures, placards and even the voice of Dames Joanna Lumley and Judi Dench,
for them to see sense.

We still need to be wary of future attempts to destroy our cherished woodland,
today’s decision represents a welcome but temporary reprieve.”