Nature-rich rare chalk streams could gain legal protection after an amendment to planning legislation, put forward by the Bishop of Norwich, was passed in the House of Lords.
There are just over 200 chalk streams in the world. Most are in the south-east of England and many are threatened by over-abstraction and pollution.
The Rt Revd Graham Usher, who is the Church of England’s lead bishop for the environment, said his amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill sought to protect a precious habitat, restore biodiversity and “create a planning system that works with nature, not against it.”
In Norfolk the rivers Bure, Thurne, Waveney, Wensum, Yare, Nar and Little Ouse are just some of the county’s chalk rivers and streams.
“They are fed primarily by spring water from the chalk aquifer, not rain, which means that they have clear, cold water and very stable flows,” said Bishop Graham.
Rich in minerals they support distinctive but fragile ecosystems.
The Bishop said that without the amendment, the proposed legislation would not require planning authorities and local nature recovery strategies to take particular account of chalk streams. And he said proposals elsewhere to limit over-abstraction of water by 2030 would come too late for many threatened chalk streams.
His amendment requires statutory land-use development plans to list chalk streams and identify how they will be protected. It also imposes a responsibility on planning authorities to protect and enhance chalk stream environments.
The Lords supported the amendment by 196 to 137 votes.
During the debate on Monday October 27 Baroness Grender (Liberal Democrat) said chalk streams are uniquely vulnerable and the amendment showed “nature restoration, water quality and sustainable infrastructure are not in competition but can be advanced through co-ordinated and legally binding steps. “
Lord Bellingham (Conservative) also supported the amendment, saying the Bishop of Norwich had referred to a number of chalk streams in his old constituency of North West Norfolk. “These incredible assets—these unique and precious assets—are at risk as we speak,” he said.
Baroness Willis (Crossbencher) is Professor of Biodiversity at the University of Oxford. She said she was alarmed that chalk streams are not specifically listed as protected habitats: “Time is of the essence here,” she said, adding that while research showed removing pollution can result in the improvement of water quality within a month to a few years, ecological recovery can take 10 to 20 years. “The more damage we do, the longer it will take for them to recover.”
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Labour) said the Government remained committed to the restoration and protection of chalk streams, including reducing harmful water abstractions and waste-water pollution. She said Local Nature Recovery Strategies would be part of this.
See the Bishop of Norwich’s full speech here:
Picture of the River Stiffkey chalk stream by Hugh Venables copyright Creative Commons.org
