Conservationists hope that a major landscaping project on a large area of marshland could help reduce flooding on the Norfolk Broads.
The Broads Authority is planning to 'rewet' Buttle Marsh, near How Hill, meaning more water will be retained on the land, rather than running into the nearby River Ant.
The authority has submitted a planning application to carry out a series of works on a 5.6 acre area of the marsh, almost the size of three football pitches.
These include creating a new sluice, a new ditch and a series of culverts, which will help the marsh store excess water in the winter months.
High river levels, particularly during this season, have become a growing problem on the Broads. One of the areas where problems have been reported is at nearby Ludham Bridge.
Buttle Marsh, which is already a nature reserve, takes its name from a traditional local term for a bittern and the authority hopes the project will help create habitats for the rare bird.
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Another major element of the scheme is to create conditions which will, over the course of many years, allow for the build-up of peat.
Currently, large amounts of deep peat soils in Norfolk are drained for agriculture, releasing greenhouse gases that have been stored in it.
The authority hopes that peat-building conditions will be established at Buttle Marsh within five years, helping to capture carbon.
A planning statement, written by the authority and submitted to itself, said: “This peatland restoration project builds on the government’s net zero 2050 target, which is a material consideration in the decision-making process.
“The proposed development is not causing adverse impacts on the landscape and the setting of heritage assets.
“The flood risk assessment confirms that the proposed development will not increase the risk of flooding elsewhere.
“As the scheme is in accordance with local and national planning policy, permission should be granted.”
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