Residents want to raise the banks to protect their homes from flooding

Lewes and Wealden district councils granted permission to the residents' scheme designed to prevent flooding.

But the plans cannot go ahead without the consent of landowners, East Sussex County Council and the National Trust.

Rupert Clubb, spokesman for the Environment Agency, said the scheme would impede natural processes.

"It remains unclear whether raising the banks would cause increased flood risk elsewhere," he added.

'Long-term damage'

Dr Chris Edwards, area manager for English Nature in Sussex and Surrey, said the plans could jeopardise the development of a more natural and self-sustaining estuary which works with nature to deal with rising sea levels.

"We are concerned that the proposals could result in long-term damage to the site," he said.

Last week two MPs called for a public inquiry into controversial plans by the Environment Agency to flood the Cuckmere Valley in East Sussex.

But a spokeswoman for the agency said it did not expect to publish any firm plans until the late autumn or winter.