The regeneration of east Colchester was highlighted when Transport Minister Sally Keeble visited the town.

The MP praised the way hotspots had been effectively targeted in the town.

She said partnerships between public and private organisations had proved successful, although transport was something which needed to be worked on.

Plans suggested during presentations and her tour of the town included a high-speed link - possibly a tram or light railway - linking the university to the town centre via the Hythe, using the Victorian railway route.

"Essex County Council has had very substantial increase in funds for local transport plans and it's a question of seeing what's going to be a feasible option," she said.

As for the chances of the redevelopment locally attracting more money from the Government, she said it would have to compete with other bids from all over the country.

Accompanied by local dignitaries, she was taken on a tour of east Colchester, including the Hythe housing scheme and the proposed university research park and railway station.

At the Hythe housing scheme, she visited resident Nicola Revell, 25, who has had chronic fatigue syndrome for the last nine years and is paralysed down her right hand side.

Council leader, Liberal Democrat Bill Frame, said he was delighted she had come to visit and said: "We hope she'll go back to the Government with enough information to show them it's worthy of funding."

Conservative group leader Nigel Chapman said: "We've got a lot of investment to find and if we can get the Government interested it could be of great benefit to us."

Labour group leader Tim Young said while the regeneration was exciting for the area, it was important the reality of the situation faced by some residents of the Hythe development was addressed.

Citing nuisance neighbours, he said: "What's the point of building brand new houses, then putting disruptive people in who are going to wreck them?"

By Jeremy Price

Reporter's e-mail: jeremy.price@thisisessex.co.uk

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.