The motion, brought forward by Cllr Ginny Boxall, commits East Hampshire District Council to embedding river rights principles into future policies and decision-making. The Council will also host a dedicated rivers workshop early next year to explore how these principles can be practically applied at a local level.
The decision recognises rivers as living ecosystems deserving of legal protection and highlights the importance of safeguarding Hampshire’s globally rare chalk streams, including the River Meon, which runs through the district and supports a wide variety of wildlife.
The movement draws on the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Rivers, which recognises fundamental rights such as the right to flow, to remain free from pollution, to support biodiversity, and to regenerate.
Lorna Selby, Policy & Advocacy Officer at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: “The passing of the Rights of Rivers motion by East Hampshire District Council recognises rivers as vital, living ecosystems deserving legal protection. This decision will help ensure rivers, and particularly our rare chalk streams such as the River Meon, are considered in local planning, safeguarding their wildlife, water quality, and role in the local environment.
“Momentum is building across the county. By embedding river rights into policies and decision-making, East Hampshire joins Basingstoke & Deane, Southampton, and Test Valley in showing the vital role councils play in protecting our natural environment. This commitment shows how local leadership can make a real difference for rivers and the wildlife that call them home. The Trust looks forward to working with the Council, local communities, and partners to support progress locally.”
This latest decision follows a landmark moment earlier this year, when Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council became the first authority in Hampshire to grant ‘personhood’ rights to rivers – a historic vote which was also shaped by local people who attended a Trust organised Rights of the River Forum.
Southampton City Council and Test Valley Borough Council have also passed Rights of River motions – and thus also recognising the importance of giving rivers a stronger voice in planning and environmental protection.
The Rights of Rivers movement is growing both nationally and globally. Lewes District Council was the first authority in England to recognise rights for the River Ouse. While international examples include New Zealand’s Whanganui River, the Magpie River in Canada and the Atrato River in Colombia.
Across Hampshire, chalk streams have suffered decades of decline due to untreated sewage, over-abstraction, habitat loss, and polluted runoff. By recognising rivers as entities with rights, councils are taking an important step toward tackling these systemic pressures and driving nature-led decision-making.
The Trust will continue working alongside East Hampshire District Council as it develops the next stages of this work, including contributing to the forthcoming rivers workshop. This will help co-design a practical framework for how river rights principles can be embedded into planning, development, land management, and water governance across the district.
Local residents can support the growing movement by backing national efforts to secure legal recognition for rivers across England, and by taking part in local initiatives to restore Hampshire’s chalk streams. Find out more about the Trust’s Save our Chalk Streams campaign here.
