North Essex: Region marked for growth (From Gazette)

North Essex: Region marked for growth

10:00pm Monday 12th May 2008

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COLCHESTER and Tendring are identified as "a major focus for economic development and growth" in a blueprint to shape future development.

The East Of England Regional Spatial Strategy, which was published yesterday, sets out the Government's plans to create more than half a million homes and almost the same number of jobs in the region by 2021.

In Essex, it calls for 127,000 new homes and 131,000 new jobs to be created.

The strategy further confirms the Haven Gateway sub-region, centred around Colchester, Harwich and Ipswich, as "a growth point", with £17.5million of Government cash already allocated to fund its development.

Colchester and Ipswich are identified in the plan as "individual key centres for development and change".

Key projects for the area include a new container terminal at Harwich's Bathside Bay, the Visual Arts Facility and the expansion of Essex University in Colchester, as well as the regeneration of Jaywick.

David Lines, leader of Tendring Council, welcomed the document's "further emphasis" on the wider importance of the Haven Gateway, which he described as the "major driver of regeneration in Tendring".

"The devil is in the detail, and the money seemingly announced today has already been distributed," he said.

"We wait to see what else is coming in terms of funding for major communications routes, like the A120, and things like doctors and schools needed alongside houses and jobs."

The plan also sets targets to increase recycling and end the landfill of untreated waste by 2021, and invest in sewage works to meet the region's need for water without affecting river quality.

Communities minister Parmjit Dhanda said the "long-term vision" was "a big step forward" to delivering sustainable growth in the region.

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