Calls for River Adur to get increased protection as new movement launched

Green councillors Gabe Crisp and Julian Shinn are set to ask Adur District Council to create a ‘declaration of rights’ for the river. The motion will be brought during a council meeting on Thursday (July 20).

Mr Crisp, councillor for St Nicolas Ward, said: “We love our river and we want it to be protected into the future. Many groups already work to protect the Adur including birdwatchers, anglers, Natural England, Environment Agency Anglers and watersports groups.

"We believe that the river itself deserves a voice in any future development and plans for the area. We want the river to have a say in the next Adur Local Plan.”

The Rights of Rivers global movement has framed The Universal Declaration of River Rights. This says that all rivers shall possess the following fundamental rights: the right to flow; the right perform essential functions within the river’s ecosystem; the right to be free from pollution; the right to feed and be fed by sustainable aquifers; the right to native biodiversity and the right to regeneration and restoration.

Mr Crisp added: “This approach has already been supported by the Sussex Wildlife Trust and Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust in the Lewes District Council Rights of the River Ouse motion.

"Adur District Council has already taken action to protect and enhance our river estuary including at Pad Farm and New Salts farm through the Adur River Landscape recovery project.”

You can listen to the debate on the Adur council meetings channel.

Mr Crisp said: “We welcome all the public support, from so many different groups, for this new approach to caring for our environment.”

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