Plans to create a huge, mud-filled lagoon on the edge of the Norfolk Broads have been scrapped, after locals campaigned against it.

The Broads Authority wanted to dig a pit in Wroxham the length of three football pitches to store millions of litres of river sludge dredged from nearby Bure.

But residents argued the site, next to homes and the village cemetery, would have created foul smells that would hang over the village - something the authority denied - and be a blight to people living nearby.

Following their concerns, the authority pulled the application from a July planning committee before withdrawing it entirely last week.

Wroxham Parish Council chairman Malcolm Allsopp said: "The parish council is delighted that the Broads Authority has seen sense.

"It was a ludicrous proposal to build the lagoon so close to housing which residents feel would have blighted their lives.

"Common sense has prevailed."

Eastern Daily Press: Massive lagoon proposal anger neighbours around the Nobel Crescent area of Wroxham.Massive lagoon proposal anger neighbours around the Nobel Crescent area of Wroxham. (Image: Archant)

A BA spokeswoman said: "We are carrying out flood and odour risk assessments, and also looking into the concerns of the local community.

"A future application is likely; however, no date has been set for this."

Among the objectors was the local council's environmental management team, which said an odour risk assessment was needed before it could support the scheme.

In a statement, it said: "We note that the lagoon is proposed to be located in close proximity with residential dwellings.

"Odour which could arise from the lagoon could have a detrimental effect on the local residents, affecting their amenity."

In July, a BA spokeswoman said river sediment is odourless and there was no risk of leakage from the site.

"The earth bund would be between 1m and 3m tall and is engineered to contain the material securely so there is no risk of leakage or movement.

"Plant movement and operation would be during the bund construction and final restoration phases."

She said the authority has used similar temporary schemes over the last 15 years in locations such as Hickling, Coltishall and Ormesby.

"River sediment largely comprises of topsoil and materials eroded from river banks," she said.

The work was meant to be carried out this winter, using excavators on floating platforms, with the waste transported to the lagoon site between Nobel Crescent, in Wroxham, and the riverbank.

The sludge would be dried over a year before being used as fertiliser in a farmer's field.