THE NATIONAL Trust has dropped controversial plans to flood an East Cornwall beauty spot to create a nature reserve. A new report, commissioned by the trust, revealed it would have taken decades to create an intertidal habitat at Haymarsh rather than the ten years originally thought. The trust has therefore withdrawn its planning appeal for the scheme on the Cotehele estate which has pleased opponents who feared the transition into a 50-acre wetland would have been 'ugly' and would ruin one of the most photographed views on the estate. Chairman of opposition group Save Our Dyke in the Tamar (Soditt) Derek Scofield said there was a great feeling of relief that their objections had been vindicated. The scheme, which was turned down twice by Caradon District Council, would have restored a reed bed which had existed until the 19th century. The National Trust claimed the scheme would have been of national importance because of the rarity of wetland habitats across Britain. The trust's regional director Mark Harold said the conservation gains of the Cotehele wetland restoration scheme would have been considerable but the latest data suggested that the wetland would have taken much longer than was originally envisaged: 'We feel it would no longer be appropriate to continue with our appeal,' he said. There are still plans to improve conservation measures at the site and enhance public access but Trust officers stressed any process would fully involve local people.