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Nature charities urge UK Government ministers to protect globally rare chalk streams in planning reform

Split level view of the River Itchen, with aquatic plants: Blunt-fruited Water-starwort (Callitriche obtusangula) Itchen Stoke Mill is visible on the left. England: Hampshire, Ovington, May - Linda Pitkin/2020VISION

A group of UK nature charities have written to Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP and Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP calling for action to protect the UK’s chalk streams in planning reforms. 

The letter is headed by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and signed by various river, water and wildlife charities including The Rivers Trust, Angling Trust, River Action, Wild Trout Trust and The Wildlife Trusts. The letter leads on from the March for Clean Water earlier this month, when over 15,000 people including charities, campaigners and celebrities gathered in London calling for Government action to improve the health of rivers, lakes and seas. 

The charities writing today urge the UK Government to integrate enhanced protections for chalk streams into reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). During the Government’s consultation on proposed changes to the NPPF (30th July – 24th September), more than 700 people urged action on protecting chalk streams.  

The majority of the world’s chalk streams – around 85% - are found in England, but of the 220+ found here, only 11 have any legal protections. Conservationists argue these measures fall far short of what is required to sufficiently protect chalk streams, especially from indirect pressures, such as pollution that occurs elsewhere in a river’s catchment, or abstraction to provide a water supply for new housing. There is currently no formal plan to protect or restore English chalk streams, with the fate of a 'Recovery Pack’ in development under the prior Government currently unclear. 

Debbie Tann MBE, Chief Executive of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, says: “The Water (Special Measures) Bill and the recently announced Independent Commission into the water sector are crucial steps in the right direction. However, the Government must deliver on these commitments and integrate a holistic approach to protect our chalk streams across all Government activities. With some of the most iconic chalk streams in the world right here in Hampshire, I have witnessed first-hand their tragic decline due to insufficient protections. We cannot wait any longer for them to be restored to health.”  

Estelle Bailey, Chief Executive of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust, says: “Our chalk streams should be sparkling crystal clear and bursting with life. As one of the rarest habitats in the world they should be the crown jewel of our natural environment but like all our rivers they have been let down. After years of damage and pollution, now is the time bring in powerful new protections and action so desperately needed to restore our chalk streams to their former glory”  

Joanna Lewis, Chief Executive of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, says: “The UK can be proud of the international importance of our chalk streams for biodiversity: they are our Great Barrier Reef, our Okavango Delta. But they urgently need bespoke legal protection to ensure they don’t suffer irreparable harm, and we urge you to take the opportunity of your planning reforms to achieve this.”  

In the letter, the charities recommended a series of amendments to the NPPF to boost the ambition of key policies, and to ensure the internationally agreed target to protect 30% of inland waters for nature by 2030 is achieved. These policy recommendations include: 

  • Designating chalk streams and chalk stream catchments as irreplaceable habitats 

  • Introducing 50-100 metre ‘no development’ buffer zones 

  • Mandating planning authorities to account for implications for water resources of sewerage systems in local plans 

Only 15% of UK rivers are in good ecological health and the charities suggest that sufficiently protecting chalk streams is essential for achieving nature recovery targets in the Environment Act (2021). 

Editor's notes

Letter

'Planning reform must help save our chalk streams' can be read here

Save Our Chalk Streams is a campaign led by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. More information is available here.  

Chalk Stream Strategy

A strategy developed collaboratively and published in 2021 by the Catchment Based Approach’s (CaBA) Chalk Stream Restoration Group (CSRG) set out a series of actions and recommendations, but Government is yet to take forward many of those for which it would have responsibility’.  New chalk streams strategy launched to protect ‘England’s rain forests’ - GOV.UK 

 

England’s chalk rivers

Only 200 chalk rivers are known globally, 85% of which are found in the UK in southern and eastern England. Classic examples include the rivers Itchen and Avon in Wessex and the river Wensum in Norfolk. Chalk rivers emerge from the chalk aquifer, so the very pure water is rich in minerals and remains at a fairly constant temperature year-round. This lets diverse aquatic plants grow, including various species of water-crowfoot and water star-wort. The plant diversity and good water quality supports many invertebrate and fish species. England’s chalk rivers and streams are world famous for trout and salmon fishing, and the river corridor can often support a rich fen vegetation. Water-crowfoot plants can be found in rivers running over sandstones and harder rocks in other parts of the country including the uplands. 

About Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is committed to creating a wilder future by 2030, where nature is recovering, wildlife is returning, and ecosystems are being restored across our counties. With the support of more than 28,000 members, we want to see many more people on nature’s side. We aim to engage 1 in 4 people, encouraging them to take action for nature by becoming part of Team Wilder.  

We want to see at least 30% of land and sea transformed into wilder places where nature is recovering by 2030. We are already doing this by expanding our nature reserves, ensuring land outside them is working for wildlife, restoring missing species and campaigning for the right policies to drive the change we need. But we need much more of this rapid, positive action to tackle the climate and ecological crises and to create a wilder future for us all.  

We’re part of the UK-wide movement of 46 Wildlife Trusts, all standing up for the natural world. Together, we are the nation’s most active and influential nature conservation partnership, protecting wildlife in every part of the British Isles. Each Trust works within its local community to inspire people and bring about positive change. Discover and protect local wildlife on your doorstep with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust www.hiwwt.org.uk 

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