Latest news with #TestValley
Telegraph
30-07-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Rivers can sue people, council rules
A British river has been given the right to sue after it was granted 'personhood' in a council vote. Test Valley borough council in Hampshire has voted unanimously to recognise the river as an independent legal entity to protect the waterway from sewage overflows, pollution and over-extraction. As a result, the river has the right to sue a person or company responsible for damaging its quality and infringing on its right to 'flow unimpeded'. The chalk stream, known for being the birthplace of fly fishing and its appearance in the novel Watership Down, has been granted the right to be 'free from pollution', as well as be fed by freshwater sources. The vote has also recognised the need for the restoration of ecological integrity and regeneration from environmental harm. The move also embeds the rights of the river in planning, development and biodiversity policies. 'Wonderful bounty of nature' The council voted in favour of Cllr Geoff Cooper's motion to recognise the rights of the river. Liberal Democrat Cllr Cooper said: 'What this motion tries to do is set out protections for our rivers and waterways, it is not just about pointing your fingers at the water company, it is all the factors that endanger our rivers.' Large sections of the waterway, which runs from Ashe 40 miles south to the tidal estuary of Southampton Water, are sites of special scientific interest with over 100 types of plant along its banks and more than 200 animal species in and around it. The main species found in the river are endangered Atlantic salmon, trout, kingfisher, grey wagtail and little grebe birds. However, salmon numbers have plummeted dramatically in recent years from 906 fish returning from the sea in 2019 to just 346 last year. Cllr Janet Burnage, a fellow Lib Dem, added: 'Without the River Test, its tributaries and all the other rivers that flow through Test Valley, we would not have the wonderful bounty of nature around us. 'We must maintain the rivers for the sake of the natural environment.'
The Guardian
30-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Council recognises right of River Test to flow unimpeded and unpolluted
The right of a famous chalk stream, the Test in Hampshire, to flow freely and unpolluted has been officially recognised by politicians. Councillors on Test Valley borough council voted unanimously to acknowledge 'the intrinsic rights' of the rivers within its boundaries including the Test, which is renowned for its trout and fly fishing. It means councillors and officials will have to keep the Test front and centre when making decisions on planning, land use, water management and biodiversity. Members of the Tory-led council promised to support efforts by citizens to monitor the Test and ask the UK government to publish an annual 'state of the rivers' report to track progress in protecting river ecosystems. Geoff Cooper, a Liberal Democrat councillor who put forward the motion to recognise the Test's rights, said rivers were one of the country's greatest assets. He said: 'It is our duty to protect those for future generations to come. It is not just sewage that endangers our rivers, there is the impact of road runoff, the impact of agriculture, the impact of planning and development. It is not just about pointing your fingers at the water company, it is all the factors that endanger our rivers.' There are only about 200 chalk streams in the world. The 39-mile Test is important for Atlantic salmon, while birds such as kingfishers marsh harriers and little grebes live on and around it. Parts of the stream, which flows from chalk downs into Southampton Water, are ideal for watercress growers. The Test featured in Richard Adams' novel Watership Down, in which some of the rabbits flee down the stream on a punt. Cooper said biodiversity in and around the stream had declined dramatically over the last few decades. When he used to drive alongside the riverbanks a quarter of a century ago, his car windscreen would be covered by insects, he said. On the way to the meeting at which the rights of the Test were ratified there were hardly any, though it is high summer. He described this as a red flag. The motion was seconded by Janet Burnage, another Lib Dem, who said: 'We live in one of the most beautiful areas of the English countryside. We should and must be proud of this. Without the River Test, its tributaries and all the other rivers that flow through Test Valley, we would not have the wonderful bounty of nature around us.' Other local authorities around the world have begun to afford rivers official rights and the supporters of the Test hope the new initiative will inspire even more. The Earth Law Center, a US charity, championed the idea of giving nature a voice in the legal system, allowing it to defend its rights just as people can. In 2017, New Zealand granted legal personhood to the Whanganui River in the North Island. This year Lewes district council in East Sussex produced a rights of river charter to help protect the River Ouse. The Test motion says the river should have 'the right to flow – unimpeded, seasonal, and natural; the right to perform essential functions within the ecosystem; the right to be free from pollution and contamination.'
The Sun
10-07-2025
- The Sun
Our 300-year-old village ‘hallmark' was ripped down with NO permission in an hour – they should be ordered to rebuild it
LOCALS are furious after their 300-year-old village's "hallmark" was allegedly ripped down without permission in under an hour. Residents near Nursling Street said they were shocked after Wychwood, a 17th-century cottage, was torn down without warning earlier this month. 3 3 Lawrence Harfield, 71, who has lived in Nursling for two decades, said: "We were gutted when we saw what had happened. "We thought it was a listed building. "It was a hallmark of the village — I have taken loads of pictures of the cottage over the years, sometimes even in the snow." Villagers were left stunned after a JCB demolished the entire building within an hour. Residents now hope Test Valley Borough Council will order those responsible to rebuild it as it was originally. The council received a planning application in 2022 to build a new property on the land next to the cottage. Despite being approved by Test Valley, no work had started on the site. Planning portfolio holder Councillor Phil Bund revealed he was not given any prior warning of work that would lead to the demolition of the 300-year-old cottage. He added that although the village's hallmark was not a listed building, the council would be investigating. It comes after disgruntled locals slammed annoying coach tourists for ruining England's " most beautiful village". Wrecking machines move in to demolish 'ghost town' Scots estate dubbed 'Britain's Chernobyl' The picturesque Cotswolds destination in Bibury, Gloucestershire, draws in flocks of visitors each year. But fuming residents have hit out at the influx of tourists, who they claim wreak havoc on the sleepy village. The breathtaking quintessentially English village is a short distance from London - which encourages even more holidaymakers looking for a quick escape to the country. This also means housing is being snapped up for holiday rentals and Airbnbs, which wreaks havoc on the village's younger families The area has also been inundated with more day-trippers as influencers continue to promote the quaint town on social media. Locals have now banded together with the council in a desperate bid to stop their village becoming overrun. If their plans are successful, it could see tourist coaches banned from the area completely. In the meantime, new measures will include changing parking bays so the tourist transporting vehicles can't stop in the B4425 layby - near the village centre. There are also aims to block off access to the central hub completely but this is reliant winning a legal process that is yet to begin. Up to 50 coaches are believed to move through the village during the peak season while as many as 20,000 people flock to the area over the course of a weekend. The resulting tension has even apparently seen things get physical, with one resident claiming to have been "punched and kicked" amid the rows. 3
Telegraph
14-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Villagers fight influx of ‘flammable' battery warehouses
Villagers are fighting against an influx of battery warehouses they fear could catch fire at any time and destroy their river. The village of Nursling, near Southampton, has become a hotspot for renewable energy storage despite concerns over the impact on wildlife and an internationally renowned chalk stream. The Conservative-run council has already approved six sites in the vicinity and while plans for a seventh have been successfully blocked, residents fear the industrialisation of the historic area carries a 'devastating' risk. Lithium-ion batteries are highly flammable and villagers and campaigners claim the water used to extinguish any potential fires is chemical laden and highly polluting. It is a concern shared by the Test Valley borough council, which unanimously rejected the seventh application by Anglo Renewables because of fire safety doubts and 'change to the rural landscape'. This is despite planning officers for the council recommending that the site be approved. The proposal for a site, which would store 50 megawatts of energy, enough to power around 80,000 homes for two hours, would have bordered the internationally renowned River Test, a chalk stream celebrated for its fishing and other wildlife, and a nature reserve. The decision did not deter Anglo Renewables from filing an eight application in May. Nursling has become an attractive option for these sites because of the proximity to a National Grid substation. Alison Fisher, the secretary of the Old Nursling Residents Association, said the group felt they had won a 'small battle' against battery energy storage systems. 'We are over the moon,' the 66-year-old said. 'All the other battery sites were approved so why is this one so different? There was great concern over the fire safety issue, the argument was the fire service did not object but they did not take into account what would happen to their firewater. 'There was enough unease, enough doubt, that they weren't happy.' Prof Malcolm Coe said he understood the tension between a national need for renewable energy and the needs of residents.. The 75-year-old, who has lived in Nursling with his wife, Tessa, for almost 40 years, said: 'They will stain the landscape. 'Local sites are being industrialised by these sites which are unattractive to look at. We are losing all these green fields, it is hard to see how we can stop this happening.' Local salmon population The Test and Itchen Association, which aims to conserve the river, was worried about the under threat Atlantic salmon populations, which return to the river to spawn after spending their life in the ocean. Paul Vignaux, the executive director of the organisation, explained that chalk stream Atlantic salmon are adapted to their environment and any change to the delicate ecosystem could be 'devastating'. Fish numbers in the River Test have plummeted in just five years from 906 returners in 2019 to just 346 last year. Mr Vignaux said: 'Why would you put a battery system right next to a protected river when you have many other sites. 'Why would you do it when there is the risk of firewater... anything that goes into our chalk aquifer, it will get into the river. 'If this site was to have a fire and that water was to get into the river it would be devastating.'
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Elderly couple reveal they have been besieged by giant rats for 10 years - while council claims there is 'no evidence of infestation'
An elderly couple have said they have been forced to live with a rat-infested garden for ten years. Valerie Sheppard, 83, and her husband Colin, 90, have spent over a decade trying to fend the rodents off their property. But they have slammed their council over what they say is the local authority's lack of action and claim the issue is making them 'ill'. The couple installed four CCTV cameras, called out more pest control experts than they can remember and sent countless emails to Test Valley Borough Council asking for assistance. They explained that the issues first started in 2014 when rodents began to appear from a broken-down car and garage next to their home. Mrs Sheppard said: 'We first realised there was a problem back in 2014 when we saw a rat sat in the middle of our back garden path - it was there so long I was able to get my camera and take a picture before it ran off. 'Test Valley Brough Council finally came out in 2016, boarded up the garage and told us - the rats are all gone.' In the nine years since, the couple said they been 'pushed from pillar to post' trying to get the Test Valley Borough Council to take some action against the neighbour. They explained the issues first started in 2014 when rodents began to appear from a broken-down car and garage next to their home. Pictured: Rats found in the couple's garden The grandmother of nine continued: 'My husband Colin is 90 and suffers from heart and lung problems - the only pleasure he gets is looking after the garden, but I fear for his health. 'This has all gone on for 11 years now - we can't go on like this. 'We are at our wits' end - the two of us have lived here for 26 years and came here for Colin's health, now I fear the garden will make us ill. 'The council have failed us - at every turn they have attempted to shift blame onto someone else and not deal with the rats.' A council spokesperson said: 'We regret that Ms Sheppard is unhappy with our response. 'We have done all we can to respond to allegations of a rat infestation in this area multiple times since 2016. 'While there has been evidence of some level of rat activity during this time, this is not in itself evidence of an infestation in the immediate area. 'Low levels of rat activity are not unusual in and around towns and villages. 'We will continue to investigate any allegations
