A firm is about to move into the former Samsung factory near Knaresborough. It has been given the right to build a 100,000 square foot extension to the site at Flaxby. Yet officials refuse to say which firm it is.

Evening Press readers are already aware that it is R R Donnelley. We revealed last month that the York printing firm was understood to be behind the application.

This should have been announced publicly at the Harrogate Borough Council meeting. But neither the chief planner nor the architects would reveal who it was.

This is deplorable. Such unnecessary secrecy denies planning committee members the chance to make an informed decision, and prevents the public from objecting or supporting the application. Such a denial of local democracy is unacceptable and must be challenged.

see NEWS 'Print firm's 'secret' plan green light'

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.