A 'Morecambe Summit' has been held to give local people a chance to talk through how the town will be affected by the new Eden Project.
The Summit was an opportunity for local people, organisations and businesses to have their say on the future of the town and particularly how to capitalise on the plans to build the planned new Eden attraction on Morecambe Promenade.
It ran for three hours on Tuesday afternoon at the Winter Gardens and was attended by 200 people including residents, business representatives, politicians, Eden Project Morecambe partners and members of the Eden team.
They took part in a workshop to discuss some of the issues, ideas and solutions surrounding the Eden Project coming to Morecambe.
Topics covered included transport, planning and regeneration, housing, community and health, environment, economy, culture, education and skills, and young people.
There were also speeches from Councillor Caroline Jackson, leader of Lancaster City Council; Si Bellamy from the Eden Project; Simon Lawrence, director of growth and regeneration at Lancashire County Council; Sarah Kemp, pro-vice chancellor of engagement at Lancaster University and Professor Vanessa Toulmin from the Winter Gardens.
Councillor Jackson said it was "emotional" to see so many people "who want to be involved in the future of Morecambe".
Councillor Jackson said she'd felt "euphoric" when the government announced it would give £50m towards building the Eden Project Morecambe but "then afterwards you think, there's going to be a lot of work to do and what are the consequences for us?"
"It isn't an accident that Eden chose to come to Morecambe, it's because there is so much potential in Morecambe," she said.
Si Bellamy said: "(Eden) isn't just a construction project, it's a transformational programme. We are creating a legacy for the future, for the next 50 years. Morecambe has had a heyday but who says the second heyday can't be even bigger?"
Simon Lawrence (pictured below with Tim Narey, Eden Project Morecambe project manager) said that "80 per cent of workers during the construction phase of the Eden Project Morecambe will be local".
Sarah Kemp said Eden was a "flagship project" and that it was "understandable and relatable on so many levels".
"The creation of jobs...the learning and education opportunities...this is an opportunity for us all to make life choices about living more environmentally friendly," she said.
She said the project had attracted "internationally renowned expertise" and has brought "some of the best minds in the world together".
Professor Toulmin, chair of the Winter Gardens Preservation Trust, said that while Eden was "a fantastic bonus", it was "not enough" by itself and more cultural events were needed to help regenerate the town.
"We've got an opportunity for the next generation growing up in Morecambe and visitors to Morecambe to think, what do we want for our culture?" she said.
"What acts and entertainment do you want to see in Morecambe? It has to be fun. It has to be something (you) want to get out of bed for, and be inspired by.
"We've got the vintage festival, the kite festival, Morecambe Music Festival...but we need more."
Attendees then split into groups to talk about what they thought the key changes would be in Morecambe over the next five years, and what they would like to see happen to the town in future.
The groups then reported back to the whole audience, raising issues ranging from concerns that Eden could lead to rising rents in the town, excitement over Eden "shining a light" on the environment of Morecambe Bay, parking, how local transport networks should transform to accommodate the number of visitors generated by the project, a shortage of hotels, and the opportunities for jobs and education.
It was announced in January that £50m of government cash had been awarded to the planned Eden Project Morecambe, paving the way for the attraction to now be built.
Related Story: Morecambe’s landmark Eden Project North will happen after £50m funding confirmed - Beyond Radio
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