CAMPAIGNERS and public figures have joined forces in demanding a water company be blocked from felling around 500 trees in a 20-year-old community woodland ahead of final council vote on Friday.

Actors Dame Judi Dench and Dame Joanna Lumley lent their voices to the Pinewoods Conservation Group and the Save Rotary Woods campaign against plans to expand an existing bottling plant owned by the Harrogate Spring Water company.

They called for North Yorkshire council planning officers to block the water company from cutting down a large section in the Pinewoods and Rotary Wood area.

Plans for the forest, which was first planted by local schoolchildren, have already been recommended for approval by North Yorkshire planning officers ahead of Friday’s final vote scheduled at 2pm.

Campaigners argued that this instance of “textbook deforestation” would contradict climate commitments made by Harrogate’s parent company, French conglomerate Danone.

They added that the council received more than 1,300 objections, and that the campaign was backed by Lib Dem MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough Tom Gordon.

Save Rotary Woods campaigner Sarah Gibbs said: “I am hopeful that our councillors will do what is right and not what is easy: to advocate for the community and represent their constituents.”

She called on councillors to refuse privatisation of public green spaces and deny global corporate ownership, arguing that a vote against this development would be a vote against a flawed and failing planning system.

Dame Judi said: “At a time when the country is talking so urgently about biodiversity loss, climate pressure and the need to protect nature close to where people live, it is deeply troubling that a healthy community woodland could be treated as disposable.”

A spokesperson for Harrogate Spring Water (HSW) told the Star:

“Our expansion plans, which have been recommended for approval by the council, have been developed through constructive engagement with council officers to ensure alignment with planning policy.

“HSW’s approach to tree planting was refined through the consultation process and approved by council officers.  

“Originally, HSW planned to plant around 1,500 trees on-site and within the new community woodland adjacent to Rotary Wood. However, following guidance from North Yorkshire Council’s arboriculturist, this was reduced to approximately 491 trees.  

“This will mean around a thousand fewer trees will be planted on site and on the new woodland than was initially anticipated. However, HSW has maintained its commitment to planting six times as many trees as would be lost by also planting offsite. 

“The business will increase the number of trees planted offsite from 1,500 to 2,500 to ensure the commitment is met.

“HSW was the first company in North Yorkshire to achieve B Corp certification in 2020, reflecting its commitment to high social and environmental standards.”