The Whitewater Valley Conservation Society (WVCS) is holding its Annual Whitewater drinks party at 12 noon on Sunday 31st August on the banks of the beautiful River Whitewater.
Please do not hesitate to let us know if you would like to join us by emailing contactus@whitewatervalley.org.uk.
WVCS riverine owners hosted the latest invertebrate survey in May 2025.
They invested 4 cheery hours conducting kick sampling on the River Whitewater, although it was a cold day.
Dear all,
As I write to you, I am looking out on the river. Aided in part by the gentle and dry spring, the river, along with the natural world that interconnects with it, and the flora and fauna that grow from its banks, appears to be a picture of health and wellbeing.
This picture is replicated at quite a few ‘oases’ along the river thanks to the hard work of both the riparian owners and the various syndicates who use the river.
BUT, regrettably, the human pressures on the river continue to mean the river lives under a permanent existential threat. A threat more obvious at times than others but nevertheless permanent.
Let us give you a few examples, which I hope will give you an understanding of the work we are undertaking and I hope you will see that, with your help, we can make a difference:-
Lodge Farm Warehouse – the immediate threat from this massive warehouse development on land next to the M3 has waned. It has not disappeared, but no full application has been submitted as of today’s date. Why? A number of reasons, critically national political decisions and policy but no doubt impacted by the hard work of local campaign organisations, not least our own. But this application remains a possibility, and it is conceivable that the company is regrouping in the background.
Holt Farm (25/00640/EIA) – At the beginning of April, Wessex Solar Energy submitted a request for a screening opinion* for a c.22 megawatt Solar Park on land to the north of the M3 on the opposing side of the railway from Hook. The site would cover approximately 22.48 ha (approximately 55.3 acres) with the River Whitewater running from South to North through the Eastern end of the site. The ‘public consultation’ was pitiful but was attended by the WVCS and we wait to see whether the developer submits a pre application or goes straight for a full application.
* A Screening Opinion is where the developer can ask the council for an assessment of whether an Environmental Impact Assessment report is required prior to a full planning application
Bunker’s Hill Farm – this solar farm development on land that runs from Hook to Mattingley is, sadly, a text book example of developer’s paying lip service to the requirements of government legislation, eg on 10% biodiversity net gain, whilst in reality doing the opposite and yet the council has waived through the developer’s requests for discharges of the various conditions placed on the development.
From our point of view the key conditions obviously related to the landscape management. We have submitted a 7 page report to the council’s planning enforcement department to challenge their discharge of the conditions. We await their response ….
So that all sounds quite disappointing, and it is, but we can also bring you some more cheery news!
First of all hold the date!…. the Annual Whitewater drinks will be held here at Whitewater Mill at 12 noon on Sunday, 31st August. Invitations will be issued in June if not before.
Following our move in becoming a charitable entity, those of us charged with running the Society are very clear that we should be using our modest funds to provide a positive impact on the river and we are building a programme of initiatives to do just that.
The first of these initiatives is a survey we have commissioned into the health of the river. This survey will be undertaken (in May) by leading experts from Wild Fish (formerly the Salmon & Trout Association) and we are visiting six sites that we have used previously so that we can provide a direct comparison from earlier surveys. We are very grateful to the riparian owners for their assistance in this and, of course, we will share the report when it is available.
We have also reached out to our ‘new’ local MP, Alex Brewer, who has a very good understanding of the importance of this rare chalkstream to her constituency and, again, we will keep you posted on our conversations.
As we seek to develop a wider, public facing role for the charity, we have been having conversations with other groups who have an interest in the river such as groups from the Rivers Blackwater and Hart and VOW.
In writing, and on behalf of the Society, I would like to thank YOU for all you do to support the work of the Society. We may not be mighty in size, or particularly noisy about what we do, but we believe, with your support, we can continue to punch well above our weight and that the river, and the valley more widely, will be the beneficiaries.
If you could find your way to continue your support again this year then that would be fantastic.
We look forward to seeing you at the annual drinks.
Best wishes,
Candy Burnyeat
Chairman, Whitewater Valley Conservation Society
The Whitewater Valley Conservation Society has submitted the attached report to the Planning Enforcement Team at Hart into concerns about the breaches of conditions relating to the above.
In addition, we would like to express our concern that Hart District Council has not responded to a letter sent to the planning team, in February, by the landowners most effected, at Borough Court (Mr and Mrs Michael Bullen). The landowners are deeply distressed by what they are now having to live next to and the fact that the meagre mitigation that was a condition of planning is essentially non-existent and what is there is being allowed to fail. We found their letter attached to the planning documents.
The planning committee was quite clear that this site would provide an enhancement to the River Whitewater and the valley. Nothing could be further from the truth – the place has turned from a pretty, natural area with perfectly serviceable agricultural land with corridors for both wildlife and people, into a desert for flora, fauna and wildlife and visually has been described in terms that are more reminiscent of WWII.
We look forward to receiving Hart’s response.
29 April 2025
Holt Farm – At the beginning of April, Wessex Solar Energy submitted a request for a screening opinion* (25/00640/EIA) for a c. 22 megawatt Solar Park on land to the north of the M3 on the opposing side of the railway from Hook. The site would cover approximately 22.48 ha (approximately 55.3 acres) with the River Whitewater running from South to North through the Eastern end of the site.
In relation to the screening opinion, Hart District Council decided that an Environmental Impact Assessment was not required prior to a full planning application.
The ‘public consultation’ was pitiful but was attended by the WVCS and we wait to see whether the developer submits a pre application or goes straight for a full application.
* A Screening Opinion is where the developer can ask the council for an assessment of whether an Environmental Impact Assessment report is required prior to a full planning application
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is hosting a free webinar on Enhancing Chalk Stream Habitats on Thursday 25 July 2024.
See here to register your place!
The future constitution of the Whitewater Valley Conservation Society, as informed by the letter from the Chairman in advance of the Annual General Meeting of 3 December 2023, can be summarized as follows.
The Whitewater Valley Preservation Society was established in the late 1970s to combat proposals for dredging the River Whitewater for gravel. The Society has since been involved in various activities, centered around the conservation of the chalk stream and its valley.
By the early 2020s, the Society’s original constitution was deemed inadequate for current needs. It was a loose association without a legal entity, which brought limited structure, minimal presence, and potential personal risk to members due to increasing regulation and compliance requirements.
Establishment of Legal Entity: The absence of a legal entity made members jointly and severally liable for the Society’s actions. To mitigate this, the Committee sought legal advice to address the issue.
Achieving Charitable Status: The lack of a separate legal entity also meant the Society could not attain charitable status, which had financial benefits for both the Society and its members. Establishing charitable status was seen as a means to grant the Society more substance, authority, and credibility.
Following the advice from specialist solicitors, the Society formed a “Community Benefit Society” named the “Whitewater Valley Conservation Society”, which was registered with the Financial Conduct Authority. However, achieving charitable status also required confirmation from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, which was granted after two years.
The transformation gained unanimous final support and approval, following a strong turnout for the vote, from the contributors at the AGM on 3 December 2023 at the Cross Barn, Odiham.
The new Whitewater Valley Conservation Society now operates as a separate legal entity with charitable status, having its own bank account and is set to continue the work of the former Whitewater Valley Preservation Society.
The Society commends the efforts of and thanks the Chairman, Candy Burnyeat, Andrew Soundy for legal oversight, and Hon Treasurer Rupert Wiggin for their roles in navigating the Society to its new status.
The Whitewater Valley Preservation Society (WVPS) expressed concerns when the development of 500 houses on a site in North East Hook, adjacent to the roundabout on the A30, was first considered by Hart District Council.
The main reason for our concerns was the fact that the entire site sits on a slope (the West side of the river valley) which exposes the river not only to run-off from construction but, once built and sold, problems with the sewage generated by the site, given the lie of the land.
During the construction phase, there were indeed incidents of pollution to the river, despite assurances from Hart, and now the entire sewage system is reliant upon pumping of effluent into tanks on the site when the Thames Water network cannot handle the flow.
Whilst touring various pumping stations susceptible to sewage discharge recorded on the Thames Water sewage discharge map, WVPS committee member John Fleming, visited Holt Lane. Here it was apparent that flooding was occurring in the field next to the River Whitewater. A Thames Water engineer informed Mr Fleming that builders on the Sainsbury’s site had damaged a sewage pipe carrying effluent to the storage tank on site. Thus putting all of the houses at risk of flooding with sewage effluent from the damaged pipeline.
The only solution available to Thames Water was to divert many tankers to the location of the damaged pipe, to collect the effluent and transport it to the Holt Lane storage tanks.
Holt Lane pumping station links into the system leading to Hartley Wintney treatment works, but at times of heavy rainfall, the system is overwhelmed and effluent must be stored until capacity is available.
Since Holt Lane is known to need tankers to avoid having to discharge into the river, in these heavy rainfall conditions, the problem at Hook will inevitably lead to discharge into the Whitewater.
WVPS Chairman, Candy Burnyeat, and Mr Fleming feel this is sufficiently important for members to be informed and to write to the new Chief Executives of Hart and the Environment Agency.
WVPS believes there should be a full investigation into and report on the damage caused to the river, and actions proposed to alleviate the environmental impact on its chalk stream ecology.
The working of the current system and its reliance on holding tanks, especially in view of the changing climate and therefore weather patterns, should be the subject of an urgent review. There is a need to increase the capacity of the wastewater system to Hartley Wintney, thereby removing the constant danger of effluent discharging into to River Whitewater.
The Whitewater Valley Preservation Society has responded to a request for an Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping opinion in relation to development proposals of 32 hectares of agricultural land at Lodge Farm, North Warnborough (22/01347/EIA).
WVPS points to serious environmental impacts on the River Whitewater, a chalk stream which is already failing to achieve Good Ecological Status, including:
In addition WVPS points to the devastating visual impact in a currently open agricultural landscape, which is crossed by several public rights of way (footpaths) connecting the many surrounding Conservation Areas and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).
The application fails to mention the nationally recognised colonies or rare bat species located in the Greywell Tunnel, which use the River Whitewater and Basingstoke Canal for their navigation and feeding routes. The application therefore needs lighting to be considered in the scope of the environmental impact assessment.
WVPS has therefore requested that the scope of the Environmental Impact Assessment is extended to include surface water management, sewage and lighting.
The Angling Trust team was out hard at work on a Sunday in March, conserving the River Whitewater.
Just downstream of Greywell Mill, along the boardwalk, the team were building natural deflectors with spindles woven into wooden posts. This will help narrow this section of the river, creating faster flow and a deeper channel.
They will aid generation of reed beds for riverfly larvae and scour pools for trout and other fish in this precious chalkstream.
These natural structures will also help to reduce scour and erosion of the bank, caused by dog activity from digging and jumping in and out of the river.