FELIXSTOWE could host the landmark of the east after plans for a giant coastal light in the seaside resort reached the final shortlist of 12.The proposal, named the East Light, would see the town linked with Cambridge via a beam spanning across the countryside.

FELIXSTOWE could host the landmark of the east after plans for a giant coastal light in the seaside resort reached the final shortlist of 12.

The proposal, named the East Light, would see the town linked with Cambridge via a beam spanning across the countryside.

The coastal light – a tower of reinforced glass plate – would be directly linked with a glass turbine in Cambridge.

A statement accompanying the entry, which is from a London-based firm, said: "Both sculptures will throw light into the night sky, working together to unify the coastal and inland areas of the region.

"It will remind those in the East of England of their closeness to the sea and its current threat to intrude over landscape defences."

This proposal will now compete against 11 others in the competition, organised by the East of England Development Agency. However, it has not been revealed which site the Felixstowe plan could occupy.

Another proposal could see the 'Lost City' of Dunwich partially recreated, with the rebuilding of six major churches of Anglo Saxon times as steel sculptures.

They would put in their original place and at the same height as part of a project designed to explain the impact of coastal erosion.

It has been designed by a German company, who state: "The idea aims to create a unique landmark, giving the original lost city an identity while letting visitors experience the history of the place."

Other shortlisted proposals include projects based around the environment, bridges and waterways, light, the coast, film and landscape.

Ipswich could still claim a small part of the landmark gong, after the town was listed among a number of venues that could host an eye-catching cycle and pedestrian bridge as part of one bid.

Eastgate, a feature film based in Suffolk, also has links with Ipswich.

However, Great Blakenham's Snoasis winter sports resort has been overlooked in the competition.

The finalists were selected by the landmark east judging panel from 234 entries yesterday and now go forward to the final judging at the end of March.

Up to three of the competitors will be selected to share a total of up to £250,000 in funding, to develop and assess the feasibility of the projects proposed.

Anthea Case, chair of the landmark east judging panel, said: "We had an excellent range of high-quality entries and the judges had a difficult job to choose just 12 finalists.

"It was a fascinating day and we have agreed on a wide range of ideas which build on many of the region's assets."

She added: "The judges were looking for inspirational ideas with the potential to become a major landmark for the East of England – ideas which could inspire a sense of pride, generate significant economic benefit and really put the region on the map, nationally and internationally."

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· 'Dunwich' – a sculpture-based project recreating the lost city of Dunwich

· 'interactive bridges' – a network of ten interactive bridges across the East of England

· 'fields of vision' – a series of landscape based sculptural light projects

· 'Eastgate' – a feature film set in Suffolk

· 'landscape east' – a bridge of reeds over the A14 near Cambridge, linked to new cycle routes and a new Fenland nature reserve

· 'environmentally sustainable region' – a project to develop the world's first environmentally sustainable region

· 'watermarking the East of England' – the development of a network of bridges across canals and waterways in the region.

· 'North Sea train' – a travelling landmark starting at Harwich and uniting the east coast of England with Scandinavia and Northern Europe.

· 'light canvas' – a three-dimensional sculpture of light and sound in six locations across the East of England.

· 'star of the east' – a renewable energy project based in Norfolk and with links across the East of England.

· 'East reef' – a coastal defence project in Norfolk.

· 'East light' – a pair of vertical light sculptures projected from a tower at Felixstowe and a wind turbine near Cambridge.