COLCHESTER is fortunate to have been selected as one of 101 towns to bid for £25m from the government with a Town Investment Plan.

If successful, this sum would be used as seed capital to start projects which themselves would attract considerably more funding.

To be successful in winning the money, the government requires a vision and plans for Colchester both for the short term and for 25 years ahead.

The Standard featured many of the projects on pages 4 & 5 last week.

The breadth of the projects is such that there is something in there for everyone.

The history of Colchester as mentioned by previous contributors is important, hence the inclusion of Jumbo and the Holy Trinity Church. But the plan is very much about the future of Colchester and wanting to be inclusive of all Colchester people.

Money is therefore targeted at training opportunities, youth services, encouraging healthy lifestyles and helping parts of Colchester that are more deprived, to name but a few projects.

All towns are under pressure with the onset of online and out of town shopping.

Colchester is fortunate having truly stunning buildings but going forward all towns must reinvent themselves as places of ‘social experience.’

This means shopping but also restaurants and cafes, art and culture. Add to that, the development of redundant office and shops back into living space.

A wide variety of people from all walks of life have worked closely together to agree a 25-year vision.

This has been a very positive experience.

It has brought together the Essex County Council, the Colchester Borough Council, politicians of all colours, a wide variety of Colchester citizens as well as persons representing charities, health, education and business.

With a common vision and agreed short- and longer-term plans, we can work together for the benefit of the Colchester community.

I would like to thank all who have taken part in this challenging task.

There will always be things we can do better but an agreed and planned longer term direction for Colchester is required to give us all focus on where we are heading.

I sincerely hope Colchester is successful in winning funds so we can take our plans forward. We will know early in 2021.

England without towns is difficult to imagine.

Let’s work together to get the best out of our town and to deliver projects that can make it even better for all.

Simon Blaxill

Chair of We Are Colchester, Town Investment Fund.