Norwich bid to grant River Wensum protection gains momentum
Norwich’s Green councillors are launching a fresh bid
A river that has been the lifeblood of the city for centuries could be given legal rights as part of a bid to ensure its health is protected.
Norwich’s Green councillors are launching a fresh bid to give the River Wensum, one of the UK’s rare chalk streams, more protection as part of a growing international movement.
A motion, tabled for next week’s full council meeting, aims to gain support to enshrine the waterway with the right to flow, to be free from pollution and the right to native biodiversity, among others.
It is a second attempt to create more legal mechanisms to ensure the river remains healthy, after a previous bid failed in 2023.
This time, the move is gaining momentum, with more than 100 petition signatures and support from author Richard McFarlane and the Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
Lucy Galvin, interim leader of the Greens at City Hall, who proposed the motion, said: “The River Wensum is an internationally recognised natural treasure right here in Norwich.
“We cannot stand by while its health deteriorates.
“This motion is about changing our relationship with nature, from exploitation to respect, and ensuring that future generations inherit a river that is thriving, not dying.”
The idea has gained further support from river users such as the Cow Tower Dippers and Eagle paddlesports club based at Anderson’s Meadow.
If passed, the River Wensum will help protect the rare ecosystem from threats such as over-abstraction, pollution and habitat degradation.
Eliot Lyne, CEO of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, said: “We are custodians of a globally rare wildlife habitat. As their glittering paths meander through our landscape rivers play host to a rich diversity of life and are crucial for the wellbeing of our local communities.
“Nature knows no boundaries, and chalk streams form vitally important corridors that help wildlife to move through the county and beyond.”
The Rights of Rivers concept has already been adopted in countries including New Zealand and Ecuador as well as in the UK, in Sussex and Hampshire.