Summary
On July 23, 2025, the Test Valley Borough Council (which is named after the river which flows through the borough and Hampshire County) voted unanimously to acknowledge “the intrinsic rights” of the waterways within the district’s boundaries, including the Test River. The Motion commits the council to embedding the river’s rights into planning, development, and biodiversity policies.
Previously, on July 16, 2025, Southampton City Council, which helps to manage the Test and Itchen rivers, passed a near-identical resolution. Also, Lewes District Council (2023) and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (2025) passed similar Motions acknowledging river rights.
Involved Organizations
Related Initiatives
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/36332/.
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