Disappointment across West Norfolk after Labour MPs reject protection of chalk streams, such as the Gaywood River, in planning bill

The Government has been slammed after MPs rejected proposals to protect rare chalk streams.

Plans to make changes to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill have been shut down by all of the Labour MPs on the parliamentary committee.

With only 200 of these streams in the world - one of them being in Gaywood - reactions have been far from positive.

The Gaywood River Revival campaign group, which has been fighting for the cause for years, likened it to “handing developers a golden ticket to carve up the countryside at will”.

The legislation aims to accelerate building projects by allowing developers to pay into a nature restoration fund, stopping them from being held back by environmental obligations.

It would make it so construction projects can immediately begin, with the money being used to improve nature elsewhere to counteract any losses.

"Once again, we’ve seen profit put ahead of common sense and irrefutable evidence that England’s chalk streams are in decline,” said spokesperson Mark Dye.

“While the scientists, ecologists and those trusted to protect our rivers are all in agreement that chalk streams are irreplaceable habitats that must be afforded the strongest protections, Labour seems to disagree.

”The idea of paying into a nature restoration fund doesn’t help chalk streams, such as the Gaywood River, as these ecosystems are unique and simply cannot be recreated elsewhere.

“In rejecting these amendments, Labour MPs have made their feelings towards our most fragile and irreplaceable habitats clear, not once but twice.”

Terry Jermy, the Labour MP for South West Norfolk, is in disagreement with his party.

“I am disappointed the opportunity was not taken in the bill to create better protections for chalk streams, as they are vital to our cultural and environmental heritage,” he said.

“I will continue to campaign to protect chalk streams and use other opportunities to bring about the change necessary.”

Many of the chalk streams in England are already in poor condition, falling victim to pollution, over-abstraction and dredging. The largest in Norfolk is the River Wensum, which flows through the likes of Fakenham.

The Gaywood campaign group believes that the country should be looking to safeguard the habitats.

“People tend to forget where their drinking water comes from and that these are finite resources,” Mr Dye added.

“Our chalk streams are among the rarest habitats in the world, and it’s vital that national protections are put in place to protect them both now and in the future."

Cllr Rob Colwell, who represents Gaywood, has been calling for the Government to do better for the last five years - and also said he is “disappointed”.

“The amendment was an attempt to give the globally rare ecosystems the strongest protections as irreplaceable habitats,” he said.

“The changes would have created protections for the habitats, as there are fears the government is attempting to rip up what it sees as environmental red tape to push for housing and infrastructure growth.

“I hope this Government brings forward separate specific legislation to protect our chalk streams in the future and I will keep fighting for this.”

The Labour Party has been called a “failure” by North West Norfolk’s Conservative MP James Wild, who criticised it for going against its claims to support the natural environment.

“I have long campaigned to enhance Norfolk’s precious chalk streams and supported action taken by the last Conservative government to do that, so it is very disappointing that Labour MPs voted against taking further steps to ensure their protection in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill,” he added.