LANDMARK plans for the future of Soham are to go on show for the first time from next week, and residents are being urged to come and have their say. A detailed presentation outlining the progress of the Soham Vision will be presented to the town council

LANDMARK plans for the future of Soham are to go on show for the first time from next week, and residents are being urged to come and have their say.

A detailed presentation outlining the progress of the Soham Vision will be presented to the town council on Monday evening (June 15) with a first draft of the Vision due to be presented to public on June 26 and 27.

The vision is being drawn up by the district councillors for Soham with the help of consultants Entec, who have been a major force in regeneration projects in Birmingham and Newcastle, and officials are urging residents to come and give their views on the historic project.

The developers have drawn on vast pools of information gathered from detailed studies and surveys handed out in March, to put together the first draft of the plans, but they are keen to push the project still further with the help of townspeople.

Councillor for Soham South, Mark Duckworth, said: "This is the opportunity for people to come and shape the future of the town and we want as many people as possible to come and have a look at the plans.

"We want Soham to be able to stand up on its own as a major town and we think we are ideally placed to do that with good transport links and tremendous development opportunities.

"We are well aware that the plans have to go beyond just more housing, we need to include all the different things that could bring industry, jobs and investment into the town and we need the help of local people to do that.

"This is a plan that will be shaping the town for the next generation and we want to make sure that we do it thoroughly and that we get it right."

A meeting of the Soham Vision Working party will be taking place at the Soham Pavillion from 16:00 on June 15 with members of the public welcomed to attend.

4589HD0609. Cllr Mark Duckworth with the Soham Vision, a plan it is hoped will shape the future of the town for the next generation.

Photo: HELEN DRAKE.