Protection of our chalk streams

North Herts Council passed a motion on Thursday 23 April aimed at protecting the district’s precious chalk streams. Cllr Tom Tyson (Liberal Democrats) presented the motion, which was seconded by Cllr Louise Peace (Liberal Democrats).

The motion noted the presentation of a bill to parliament by Liberal Democrat MP in neighbouring South Cambridgeshire, Pippa Heylings, which aims at giving the UK’s chalk streams protected status as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. The MP for North-East Hertfordshire, Chris Hinchliff, was one of the signatories to the bill.

The motion also focused on a local level at the opportunity for the Council to act in its capacity as planning authority to ensure protections are written into the new Local Plan, which is currently being developed. The Council must do “everything possible to protect its unique chalk streams and the irreplaceable habitats associated with them” the motion states.
 

In moving the motion, Cllr Tyson hoped that it would allow the Council to demand from planning applicants “a full commitment to the cause” and that developments should feature the highest levels of water efficiency, maximum safeguards against pollution and best-in-class sustainable drainage systems as a matter of course.

Referring to high levels of ground water abstraction to supply homes, he went on to say: “We must protect the integrity of our aquifer wherever we are exploiting it as a resource, until such time as the water companies get their act together and start putting into place the infrastructure required to supply us from a less ecologically fragile source.”

Seconding the motion, Cllr Peace spoke of the harms suffered by chalk streams in her area due to sewage spills and housing development, saying: "We take water from the streams, pollute it and then throw it back in." She spoke of the obligation North Herts Council has to protect chalk streams and referred to the Council’s declaration of an ecological emergency in 2023.

The motion was passed unanimously, with one abstention.