AN OPPONENT of plans to create a wetland habitat and flood scheme at Donna Nook claims the community has been "stabbed in the back" after a local authority announced it could not rely on its original grounds for refusal.

East Lindsey District Council has been preparing to be represented at an appeal lodged by the Environment Agency after its plan to create a wetland habitat and flood scheme at Donna Nook was refused last year.

The wetland would see acres of farmland flooded and would compensate for the loss of habitat around the Humber estuary due to coastal squeeze.

But in a U-turn, ELDC said things have since changed which meant its reasons for refusal could not be relied upon to win the appeal.

Farmworker Alwyn Drewery said: "The community has been stabbed in the back and East Lindsey has yet again failed to support local people. We have letters from the chief executive Nigel Howells saying this will be defended rigorously.

"I am very disappointed and I feel they have let local taxpayers down, local parish councils and our ward councillor Robert Palmer who has greatly supported the community.

"We will continue to fight this as an interested party, but I think the appeal will make ELDC look silly, especially as the Environment Agency has spent a lot of public money with the appeal process."

However, a council spokesman said: "The district council refused the planning application for two reasons – the Shoreline Management Plan hadn't been adopted and the proposal by the Environment Agency was contrary to the Regional Spatial Strategy.

"Since the district council's decision to refuse the planning application, which was based on solid and relevant planning policy at the time, the Shoreline Management Plan has been endorsed and the Government's intention to revoke the Regional Strategy has been confirmed as a material planning consideration.

"Any appeal would be decided on the law and policy as it will stand when the appeal is heard later this year."

The application had received almost 400 letters of objection from the public, who were concerned about flood water being brought closer to their homes in North Somercotes and the loss of top-quality land.

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