Devastating proposals to surrender 25 square miles of the Broads to the North Sea have been officially dropped by government conservation advisers.

Natural England has bowed to public opinion over the proposals, which would have resulted in the flooding of at least six villages, and the destruction of hundreds of homes, thousands of acres of farmland and some of Norfolk’s top wildlife sites.

The proposals caused outrage after they were first revealed by the EDP a year ago, prompting thousands of people to campaign against them.

Natural England had suggested surrender to the sea as one of four options in a draft report into how climate change might affect the Broads, but has now removed these from the final version of the document, published today .

In the report, Natural England confirms its support for the current policy of holding the current line of sea defences along the coast between Eccles and Winterton for at least 50 years, stressing that it is an adviser on flood risk policy and not the final decision-maker.

But it warns of the threat posed by rising sea levels, adding: “The future of the Broads depends on the actions we all take today to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

“This, combined with decisions we make about managing our landscapes to adapt to unavoidable climate change, will determine whether we continue to have a high-quality landscape that is cherished and respected by all.”

The revised document also stresses the need to consider the impact on communities and their livelihoods in responding to climate change and acknowledges the need for a “socially just approach” and “adequate tools and resources” to help them.

The concessions have been welcomed by campaigners, including North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb, who said: “This will come as a significant reassurance to communities thrown into turmoil last year.”

But he said the battle was not won, adding: “I will never be complacent on this issue. We must always remain vigilant. The report does highlight there is a threat from the sea level rising.”

A draft copy of the report, obtained by the EDP last year, listed four possible scenarios for dealing with climate change in the Upper Thurne basin the most radical of which was to allow the sea to penetrate coastal defences between Horsey and Winterton in between 20 and 50 years’ time, flooding an area as far inland as Potter Heigham and Stalham.

An accompanying map showed the villages of Eccles, Sea Palling, Waxham, Hickling, Horsey and Potter Heigham as potentially being flooded.

Shaun Thomas, Natural England’s East of England director, said that document had now been significant revised in response to public opinion.

“We have actually taken out reference to specific flood risk options for the coast and Broads in the light of feedback we have received from local communities and MPs,” he said.

“There’s no doubt they have been taken out as a response to the overall reaction, not just from the public but from local MPs. Public opinion is very important to us.

“We have reflected on that and, given the concerns that were raised, we have taken out those plans and the lines on the map which caused such concerns in those communities. We listened to the concerns that were raised. We acknowledge there were concerns about what we were proposing.”

According to the report, the climate in the Broads over the next century is likely to become warmer and wetter in winter, and hotter and drier in summer, while sea levels will rise.

Rainfall intensity will probably increase and extreme events such as heat waves and storms are predicted to become more frequent and severe.

The report concludes that the Broads will, over time, become more brackish, with freshwater habitats becoming salty. The coastal frontage will come under increased pressure from sea level rise and increased storminess.

Wetlands will be damaged by the repeated cycle of flooding and drought, and some plants and animals will be lost and replaced by non-native and invasive species.

Increased erosion, the arrival of new pests and diseases, reduced summer water levels and algal blooms in broads and rivers are also predicted.

Story by Jon Welch in the Eastern Daily Press