THESE stunning pictures show how Colchester could look in a whole new light.

Colchester Council’s scrutiny panel agenda featured a report by Sutton Vane Associates, a light design company.

Called the Colchester Light Strategy, the document shows ways in which various points around the town could be lit up.

However, the report was first written about nine years ago and there are concerns over why it has not been implemented.

The answer - there is not enough funding.

It has separated parts of Colchester into tiers of priority, with Jumbo water tower, the town hall, the war memorial and Colchester Castle featuring in the highest priority bracket.

Other areas of highest priority include:

n the Mercury Theatre

n the Natural History Museum

n Firstsite

n St Peter’s Church in North Hill

n Essex and Suffolk Fire Office building at the end of the High Street

n St Nicholas building.

Conservative group leader Darius Laws has been campaigning for the town’s main heritage points to be lit up for years.

He feels they should be made a priority.

He said: “I have asked why this hasn’t been acted upon. Jumbo is only lit up temporarily.

“The priority should be on our heritage sites. I have had to work hard to get the council to light up Balkerne Gates.

“The council has done a good job in Priory Street as well, but more could be done.

“Holy Trinity Church used to be lit up but they have just let the lights die. The war memorial doesn’t even have a spotlight on it.

“I accept in some places there are no light cables underground but when those are in place the cost of running the lights is minimal.”

He said public realms in the town have been spoken about more than ever, and it was time to start getting individual landlords involved to light up their buildings.

Places like Colchester Arts Centre and Balkerne Passage were in the second priority tier, with Hollytrees Museum being the lowest.

The report said the main aims were to celebrate Colchester’s unique historic character, improve the perception of a safe experience by night, create a thriving evening economy and improve way finding by night.

Plans also include light art and lighting up routes in between zones.

A spokesman for the council said: “The council acknowledges implementation has been slow in some areas but would stress this is down to a lack of finance rather than an absence of strategic planning or ambition.

“Implementation is an objective but we have yet to secure project funding and will continue to actively seek out opportunities as they arise.”