People living in Felixstowe are being given the chance to choose the name for a proposed new £1million beach village - with a shortlist of five names from which to pick.
A planning application has been submitted for the project, which will see two grassed areas on the South Seafront transformed into facilities for residents and visitors.
East Suffolk Council has drawn up the plans for five accessible, purpose-built pods, 27 traditional huts and a new public convenience block with Changing Places facilities in Sea Road.
The existing trim trail will be moved to the current volleyball site, which will be re-landscaped and made into an activity park. As part of this, the existing equipment will be upgraded and additional facilities installed, including concrete table tennis tables, a petanque piste, accessible picnic benches, chess tables and outdoor space for workouts.
During consultation on the project, people were asked to suggest names for the development - and the five favourites were:
- @The Beach
- Pier View
- Pier VIew Park
- Seashore Village
- The Landing
Local people are being invited to vote for their favourite in a new survey before 5pm on July 30 at https://eu.surveymonkey.com/r/BeachVillage
East Suffolk says the aim of the project is to create accessible facilities that enables families and groups to enjoy everything the beach and town has to offer by hiring a beach pod for a day, or longer, as well as improving facilities for local people and visitors alike with the addition of new public conveniences and an activity park.
Craig Rivett, cabinet member for economic development said: “Beach huts are an important part of the seaside experience and East Suffolk Council is committed to making this experience more accessible to a wider range of people, allowing families and groups to access and enjoy the beach and resort for a day, or longer.
“Like towns across the country, Felixstowe has struggled during the pandemic with more people staying at home and less visitors to the town. However, we’re confident that we have a bright future ahead and we’re committed to increasing the tourism opportunities and facilities in Felixstowe to attract both local people and visitors, supporting economic growth and providing new employment opportunities.
“The South Seafront has undergone significant redevelopment in recent years and East Suffolk Council has invested a lot in revitalising the area. We believe it is vital that we continue to build on this investment and create developments that benefits local businesses and people as well as visitors to the area.”
See here for the full details of the planning application.
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