THE WHITEWATER River
The River Whitewater is the only Chalk Stream that flows through Hart and it is one of only 200 or so in the entire World. The Government has now recognised the global importance of Chalk Streams and has made their restoration and the restoration of their unique habitats a priority as they are under increasing pressure from climate change, development, pollution, and abstraction. Hart’s only Chalk Stream currently fails to meet Good Ecological Status and its surrounding habitats in some areas have been eroded over time to make way for development.
After almost two years of collaborative work between the Government, its Regulators, the Water and Agricultural Industries, the first Chalk Stream Restoration Strategy Implementation Plan has now been published (see attached Strategy Summary and Strategy Implementation Plan). The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) already makes clear that local plans should promote the conservation, restoration and enhancement of priority habitats which include Chalk Streams. The Governments new Chalk Stream Restoration Strategy Implementation Plan goes further and makes 34 recommendations to ensure that all of England’s Chalk Streams are safeguarded and restored to Good Ecological Status. Progress will be monitored, and the strategy reviewed and updated at least once a year. It is an ongoing commitment rather than a short-term solution. The restoration of Chalk Streams will also help to achieve the ambitions outlined in the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan which set out the Government’s commitment to clean and plentiful water and engagement with the natural environment and its wildlife.
In the meantime, the River Whitewater faces a new threat from development at Lodge Farm in North Warnborough. There is currently an Outline Application to develop 32 hectares of the River Whitewater’s river valley into a commercial logistics floorspace with up to 14,273 traffic movements per day, the majority of which are HGV’s. Due to the proposed site being in a surface water flooding problem area, and a ground water flooding problem area (Environment Agency and Hart District Council data), the developer is proposing to discharge the surface water run-off from the entire development into our only Chalk Stream. The Chalk Stream Restoration Strategy identifies roads as the primary pathway of sediment to chalk streams from their catchments and identifies sediment as one of the primary threats to Chalk Streams . Excess sediment settles on and penetrates the gravels on the riverbed, and has a direct impact on plants, invertebrates, and fish, smothering fish eggs and clogging the interstitial spaces in the gravel where invertebrates live. It makes the water turbid, blocking photosynthesis, allowing damaging nutrients and toxins to accumulate.
Chalk Streams are an Internationally rare and irreplaceable habitat, as well as an important part of our Nation’s natural heritage. They are a vital water resource and provide a habitat for a diverse group of wildlife including Damselflies, Kingfishers, and Salmon. The Government has now taken the decision to protect and restore these precious habitats after years of neglect. We are fortunate to have one of these incredibly rare habitats in Hart and we would now urge Hart District Council to recognise its importance and vulnerability and to take pride in restoring it and giving it the protection it deserves before it is too late.