Harrogate Spring Water Update

HCS has sent the following two responses to the Harrogate Spring Water revised plans:


27th February 2024
Planning Services (Harrogate Area),
For the attention of Jillian Rann,
P.O. Box 787,
Harrogate HG1 9RW

Dear Ms. Rann,
Planning Application 20/01539/REMMAJ 6.79.8103.S.REMMAJ
Harrogate Spa Water, Harlow Moor Road, Harrogate

Thank you for your consultation on the revised plans for the extension to the bottling facility under outline consent ref; 16/05254/OUTMAJ.

We attended the public consultations on 13th July 2022 and 30th November 2023 and also met with Harrogate Spring Water at their offices on 25th Jan 2024.

At these meetings, we do not recall seeing a substantial building on the plans that was annotated External Plant. On the plans now submitted as part of the current application, this has now appeared, which rather weakens the consultation process. However, the External Plant Building is within the development site approved in 2017 and appears well dug in so as not to be above ground at that point. As such, we do not expect it to be problematic in respect of visibility or design except in one respect. This is the appearance of the fencing.

WOODLAND & LANDSCAPING
The Civic Society and the town generally are very sensitive to the Special Landscape Area and the need to be respectful of the Rotary Centenary Woodland as planted by the community between 2005 & 2010. This woodland was granted Asset of Community Value (ACV) status in 2015 which was renewed in 2020. It is now well established and providing considerable benefits to ecology and the environment in general, including opportunities for exercise. Screening of buildings is also a significant factor.

To destroy a large area of well-established plantation woodland and replace it with new is counter-productive. This has unfortunately been made necessary, due to the approved application 16/05254/OUTMAJ, with which we were not content. To balance the loss, land contiguous with the current Harrogate Spa Water (SPA) site is needed. It is good (essential) to see that an area of new land for woodland planting outside of the current site is proposed on the western edge and extending northwards and southwards. This will connect to the Pinewoods and an area of relatively new planting to the north. On site planting and further tree planting is promised elsewhere.

It is essential that the new tree planting is not all or mostly whips but includes saplings and some semi-mature trees. To this end, it would be entirely appropriate for trees in the Rotary Wood area to be translocated as a fitting recognition of all the community effort that was involved and to be an element of sustainability.

All new tree-planting should be carried out at least concurrently with site clearance and building work. Preferably as much new planting as possible should precede building work. Translocation of a substantial number of trees could ensure an element of this. A situation whereby the replacement woodland is delayed to some point in the future after the buildings are completed or nearly completed should be avoided. The strongest encouragement to implement the woodland and other planting in a timely manner should
involve a Section 106 Agreement. A Section 106 should require passing ownership of the new woodland land to the Council before the new extension can be occupied and the usual replanting of failed trees within five years.

Trees as part of the landscaping of the building as distinct from the woodland planting should nevertheless provide good screening. A critical area is the north side of the extension where trees should grow high enough and dense enough to screen what is essentially an industrial building. The SUDS pond which restricts the plantable area to the north could weaken the effect of screening and this should be guarded against. We are not in favour of landscaping that is too formal such as the regimented trees shown on the
Illustrative Landscape Masterplan.

DESIGN OF THE BUILDING
It cannot be stated too often that the proposed development site is an area that is very sensitive and of great consequence to the local community. The majority of responses to this application object very strongly to the proposed extension going ahead at all. The position of the Civic Society is that the best design and materials for a building on the approved development area must be achieved.

Unfortunately the elevation shown in this Reserved Matters application is disappointing and too industrial in appearance. This applies particularly to the side elevations where there is a very long unbroken eaves line and roof line. Although there is some relief along the sides with sections of translucent glazing and timber cladding, the profiled metal cladding predominates. This is compounded by the metal standing seam roof. The only relief from the very large main roof expanse is the regimented solar panels and the roof lights.
We did not see details of materials and dimensions of any fencing. Clarity is required, as fencing could have an adverse visual effect from public viewpoints.

Please refer to the above for aspects for which amendments should be considered.
Yours sincerely,
Henry Pankhurst
On behalf of Harrogate Civic Society


The second letter :


5th March2024
Planning Services (Harrogate Area),
For the attention of Jillian Rann,
P.O. Box 787,
Harrogate HG1 9RW

Dear Ms. Rann,
Planning Application 20/01549/DISCON 6.79.8103.Q.DISCON
Harrogate Spa Water, Harlow Moor Road, Harrogate

Thank you for your consultation on the above application for approval of details under
Condition 12, Ecological Mitigation & Management.

The report presented to discharge Condition 12 of the outline consent ref: 16/00524/OUTMAJ is entitled “Preliminary Ecological Appraisal” (PEA) and is said to be based on a Phase 1 Habitat Survey carried out in August 2023. The condition requires an ecological survey to be undertaken late Spring/early summer. Firstly, the Phase 1 Survey does not appear on Public Access and secondly, does August qualify for late spring/early
summer?

The Rotary Wood area extends from the bottling plant buildings to the western boundary of the site. This plantation woodland was granted Asset of Community Value status in 2015 which was renewed in 2020, and is well established. The Ecological Report of July 2019 said that the tree species in the Rotary woodland are generally appropriate and that most are thriving (7.3.4). It is a very positive indication that this woodland has value and even more so, more than 4 years later. The portion that will remain after the bottling plant extension is built should be left as plantation woodland and not become a parkland style area. The Illustrative Landscape Masterplan seems to show this change of character particularly on the northern edge of the site, which we suggest is not appropriate considering the sensitive nature of this woodland because of community involvement in its planting.

The remaining portion of woodland between the new extension and the western boundary should be left undisturbed and not damaged during construction. The usual methods of tree protection should be put in place. The nature of this developing woodland should not be changed by introducing wildflower meadow or woodland glade areas as marked on the Illustrative Landscape Masterplan. Such features could preferably be introduced within the new ‘blue line’ wooded area. To save as many of the trees planted by the community as possible, translocation of suitable trees existing within the ‘lost’ woodland area to the new woodland area should take place.


The Ecological Survey of July 2019 noted that several places in the Rotary woodland have spikes of common spotted-orchid mostly in low numbers but there is a swarm of about 100 in an area of 1m x 2m with several spikes 1m high (7.3.8). If the area where spikes exist is likely to be damaged in any way, these should also be subject to translocation.

The fact that the new building has to be dug in to the bank at the rear may be helpful for the avoidance of light-spill. However all possible steps must be taken to design lighting that will not be disadvantageous to wild life. It may be a vain hope but can vehicular movements at night be avoided too?

Special attention should be paid to roosting and nesting features on the new buildings as noted at para. 114 of the PEA. The Ecological Survey of July 2019 said that hedgehog houses should also be introduced (8.7.4.4 & 8.7.4.5).

More detail on biodiversity matters needs to be in place before determination of the Reserved Matters application 20/01539/REMMAJ. Harrogate Spa Water says that in addition to planting on the new blue line area, further planting will take place off site. It would be good to have details of this also.

We repeat a comment that we made regarding the revised application 20/01539/REMMAJ. Ownership of the blue line area of land intended for new woodland planting should be passed to North Yorkshire Council.

Thank you again for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Henry Pankhurst
On behalf of Harrogate Civic Society