A year ago the EDP revealed conservation bosses were considering a radical plan to surrender a large area of the Broads to the sea, prompting a public outcry and a vociferous campaign. Now Natural England has dropped the controversial proposals from its final report. JON WELCH examines the issues.

At least six villages wiped off the map, hundreds of people turned out of their homes, and thousands of acres of farmland and some of Norfolk’s top wildlife sites lost to the sea.

This devastating scenario came not from the pages of a lurid novel, but a report by the government’s own conservation advisers, Natural England.

A year ago, almost to the day, the EDP revealed that conservation bosses were considering these radical proposals as part of a their plans for dealing with the effects of climate change in the Broads.

A draft report obtained by this newspaper listed four possible courses of action in the Upper Thurne basin, including allowing the sea to breach defences between Horsey and Winterton, flooding 25sq miles (6,500 hectares) of the Broads as far inland as Stalham and Potter Heigham.

Not surprisingly, the news sparked fear, alarm, disbelief and anger in coastal communities, and although Natural England attempted to explain it as simply one of a number of scenarios in a draft report never intended for public consumption, subsequent official announcements only reinforced the impression that it was being given serious consideration.

The Environment Agency reaffirmed its commitment to “hold the line” of sea defences for the next 50 years, but its then chief executive Lady Young warned there would be “difficult decisions to make” after this.

Environment secretary Hilary Benn said it could prove uneconomical to protect some places from rising sea levels, warning: “Nature is more powerful than all of us”.

Soon after the news broke, a campaign to fight the proposals swung into action. Hundreds of people attended public meetings and thousands signed petitions.

MPs joined the battle, the issue was debated in parliament and the then flood minister Phil Woolas visited the coast last July, stating: “The scenario put forward by Natural England is not the flood defence policy of the government. I cannot see a situation where any elected government would allow the Norfolk Broads to flood.”

Today Natural England will belatedly publish the final version of its Broads report, one of four dealing with different areas of the country.

All reference to the four options for the Upper Thurne, including flooding, have now been taken out – even though the report does acknowledge a likely sea level rise of between 8cm and 77cm by the 2080s.

The report also mentions the need to consider “communities and their livelihoods” – a concern absent from the draft document – and talks of the need for “a socially just approach” which, in this context, means compensation for anyone that loses their property to the sea.

Referring to the original report, Shaun Thomas, Natural England’s East of England director, said: “It was a draft document that was leaked.

“The reaction of people was perfectly understandable, although it was disappointing it was leaked and got the coverage it did. Nevertheless, it has served to highlight the importance of climate change.”

He said Natural England had worked closely with community groups in revising it. “We haven’t just gone away and written this on our own,” he said.

“I think community leaders will look at this and say we’ve listened and that our new report is a healthy contribution. While they may still remain angry at the original leak and coverage we have recognised their concerns.”

The new reference to social justice has particularly pleased Malcolm Kerby , of Happisburgh-based Coastal Concerns Action Group, who called for such a pledge a year ago.

Yesterday he said: “I welcome the fact that Natural England now acknowledges that before any of these changes can take place, there has to be a full, effective social justice package in place. It’s incumbent on them to put a safety net in place before they make these announcements.”

But he said the omission of the four options did not guarantee the long-term future of the Broads.

Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, said: “One can’t escape the fact that a lot of damage and stress was caused last year, and a lot of lives disrupted.

“It shouldn’t have happened; it was badly handled. Obviously there was a leak, but it was inevitable that a document as sensitive as that would get into the public domain and I hope lessons have been learned from this exercise.

“The mass uprising last year in reaction to Natural England’s proposals has borne fruit in that we have had renewed defences; the dropping of these highly controversial options; a commitment from the chair of the Environment Agency that there must be compensation for people that lose their homes; Natural England committing themselves to social justice; and we anticipate movement from the government on this critical issue.

“It has demonstrated the value of campaigning and presenting a united front: MPs, councillors, parish councils and communities all speaking with one voice, demanding justice, backed up by the EDP.

“When the report was leaked it was of such public significance that it had to be reported. The EDP was right to do so and the impact now has been that we have made some advances.”

Mike Walker, chairman of the North-East Norfolk Coastal Parishes Group, said: “Natural England have talked to the community. The withdrawal of the four options, although only a small part of the report, demonstrates that they have understood and acted on our concerns.

“This is only the start of a process that is going to go on in perpetuity. There will be change arising from climate change, but the important thing is everybody works together.”

Eric Lindo, joint co-ordinator of Hickling Environment and Residents’ Alliance (HEARA) said: “The support from Natural England for holding the existing defence line is the best outcome we could have hoped for in their final report.”

“It is important that Natural England continues to develop its relationship with local communities. We are pleased to have received from them the assurance that there will be further discussions in the future and we look forward to working with them”.

Story in the Eastern Daily Press