Rights of the Darent could be recognised by Council

A motion to recognise the rights of the River Darent when making future decisions on planning, land use and water management is being considered by Sevenoaks District Council on Tuesday. We urge the council to adopt the motion.

The motion is being brought by Councillor Laura Manston and proposes the council resolves to:

1. Recognise the growing global movement of “Rights of Nature” as a framework for rethinking our relationship with the environment.
2. Consider any impact, as it arises, on the River Darent and all its tributaries and distributaries, ensuring they can continue to: flow, perform essential functions within the river’s ecosystem and be free from pollution; feed and be fed by sustainable aquifers; sustain native biodiversity, and be regenerated and restored.
3. Consider the rights of the River Darent when making future decisions on planning, land use, and water management.
4. Encourage developers to achieve water neutrality so that any new development does not increase the overall rate of water abstraction beyond existing levels in that area. This can be achieved by measures including fitting water efficient products such as aerated taps and shower heads, water butts and low flush toilets and installing greywater recycling and rainwater collection.

DRiPS fully supports the motion. We agree that the four points above are needed to safeguard the future of the river. Sevenoaks lies in an area of serious water stress (as classified by the Environment Agency). The Darent is among the most heavily abstracted rivers in the country despite its status as a globally rare chalk stream. The picture of Eynsford Ford in 1976 is a chilling permanent reminder of the danger of ignoring the consequences of over-abstraction. Adequate flow is needed to maintain the characteristics of the chalk stream and support a healthy, biodiverse ecosystem. Currently the quantity of water flowing through the Darent is not enough to do this and we remain very concerned that areas of the river will dry up during periods of drought, as they have done in the past.

The Darent Nature Partnership, supported by DEFRA, the Environment Agency and Natural England, aims to restore the natural functions of the River Darent and create a connected mosaic of wetland, floodplain meadow, chalk grassland, woodland and scrub habitats across the valley. In so doing, it will boost biodiversity, capture carbon, improve water quality, increase climate resilience, and enhance food production.

Recognising the rights of rivers does not prevent development. It ensures that the impact on local waterways is considered and mitigated prior to development. If the motion is passed, it follows the example of Lewes District Council which has recognised the rights of the River Ouse.