Saxmundham

“Get involved and help shape Saxmundham’s future!”

“We’re determined to work together for a successful future for Saxmundham – and we want your input!” That is the message from the town’s Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, which brings together community and town council representatives,  and which met yesterday (9th April).

The team are this week publicly launching this new website, which aims to feature lots of photos of Saxmundham life, as well as articles giving information and opinions on the issues the town faces as it looks to the future.  

Town Council Chairman, Phillip Dunnett, said:

“We want to get as many people involved as possible in creating our community-backed plan for Saxmundham’s future.  Having an attractive website with lots of useful information and ideas, plus use of social media for everyone to take part, is an essential element. We need to come together to ensure that Saxmundham, as a fast-growing town, gets the services and infrastructure it needs.

Steering Group chair, Jeremy Smith, said:

“The aim of our new website is not just to tell people about the Neighbourhood Plan, but to showcase the town in all its aspects and its diversity – and help to bring people together around a shared view of what we need to do and create. 

We really hope people will send us written contributions and photos for use on the website or our other social media – or give info on their upcoming events to post.”

Saxmundham residents are warmly invited to send any views or ideas relating to the Neighbourhood Plan to the Steering Group by email at saxmundhamplan@gmail.com .  In addition, a series of “thematic” town meetings are to be organised, around issues like housing, transport and mobility, the local economy, and the environment, in partnership with community organisations.

Upcoming development opportunities

There are exciting options and opportunities for Saxmundham, which the website will publicize. The Steering Group will be asking residents what sort of town they want to see over the next 20 years – in terms of size, function and services, for example.  In addition, there are some important development opportunities in the shorter term, including:

• the Station after the fire – we need a renewed building that reflects the station’s status as “gateway to the Heritage Coast”,
• the County Council plans for restructuring its Street Farm Road premises, with a new community centre plus enlarged library
• the Fromus Centre site, also County Council owned, to be redeveloped in the coming years
• Refurbishment plans for the Market Hall in the High Street

The Neighbourhood Plan can, in discussion with the site owners, help to shape all of these developments.

Social media details

In addition to the new website, there is a new Facebook group page dedicated to the Neighbourhood Plan https://www.facebook.com/groups/Saxplan/ , a twitter account @plan-sax, and an Instagram account @saxmundhamplan.