Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has stepped up its efforts to protect local rivers and streams across northern Hampshire.
At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 10 March, councillors approved a new “Declaration on Rights of Rivers”. The move commits the council to recognise that waterways should have clear rights and stronger protection.
The plan is based on the wider Universal Declaration of the Rights of Rivers. It sets out six key rights for rivers and streams in the borough. These include the right to flow freely, support healthy ecosystems, stay free from pollution, and recover when damaged. It also covers the need for sustainable water systems and the protection of native wildlife.
From now on, the council says it will take these principles into account when making decisions. That could affect planning, development, land use, water management, and biodiversity policy.
The council also promises to act where it can to protect and improve local waterways. This includes closer work with community groups, river trusts, and environmental experts. It will also push regional and national bodies, including the Environment Agency, to strengthen protection for rivers.
Councillor Chris Tomblin, Cabinet Member for the Climate and Ecological Emergency, said the area is home to important and fragile waterways. These include the headwaters of the River Loddon and the River Test, both rare chalk streams.
He said there are only around 200 chalk streams in the world, with most found in England. He warned that these habitats face growing pressure despite their importance for wildlife, people, and the wider environment.
The council is already taking steps to monitor and improve river health. This includes checking river flies as a sign of water quality, working with the South East Rivers Trust to track sewage spills, and testing water during storms.
Plans are also in place to expand the council’s green infrastructure strategy into a wider “blue and green” approach, giving more focus to water. The council says this will bring stronger policies to protect rivers.
Last summer, the authority also called on the government to step in over concerns about the River Test. It opposed a proposed drought order that would have allowed Southern Water to keep taking water even if river levels dropped too low.
The new declaration builds on the council’s 2021 ecological emergency pledge. It aims to highlight the challenges facing local rivers and strengthen long-term protection across the borough.
