A RAPTUROUS welcome was given to the Snoasis project at an exhibition which began in Claydon today.The £300million skiing and leisure complex seemed to excite and interest everyone who lives around it.

A RAPTUROUS welcome was given to the Snoasis project at an exhibition which began in Claydon today.

The £300million skiing and leisure complex seemed to excite and interest everyone who lives around it. Many of them said they looked forward to using the vast range of facilities.

Maurice Shnaps, business director of the project, said: "We have had an absolutely fantastic reception with the vast majority of people behind us. People expressed some concerns of the question of traffic but our plans will deal with the transport issue."

A new roundabout and obvious signs will keep traffic away from the towns and villages. The station at Great Blakenham will be reopened so commuters from London can arrive by train.

Sheila Emson, from Great Blakenham, said: "I find the whole project very exciting and we will be able to go there and use the facilities. It looks like they will have got everything there."

Her husband, Barnard, was keen to try out the ice rink even though the couple are retired. He said: "People of Great Blakenham are in favour of the project and it will clean up the whole area creating jobs and bringing a lot of people to the area. I might even get my skates and have a go although I haven't skated for years."

The project will create the world's biggest vertical drop ski slope, a host of other facilities, including a multi-purpose ice arena, a four-star hotel, a disco, restaurants, apartments and 350 chalets are also planned.

This is in addition to a railway station for the village, facilities for water sports, and 18 hole golf course, cinemas and a tenpin bowling alley.

The 120-metre vertical drop ski slope would make it the biggest of its kind in the world, 40m longer then the current biggest, in Maastricht, Holland.

It is estimated that there are around 4.6m skiers in the UK and the facility would aim to cater for those people while also boosting the profile of winter sports.

The complex would be available as a national training centre for top British skiers, with a particular focus on providing opportunities for the young.

The scheme is currently at the supplementary planning guidance stage and as part of the process the developers are asking the local community for there views and comments. Once permission has been granted the ice rink should be complete in a year and the whole project finished two years' later.

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Weblink: www.mid-suffolk-dc.gov.uk/environmentplanning/localplan/snoasis/plans.htm