.......is about to occur in Harlow, if everything goes as planned. This is what I heard tonight, when I attended the visionary and imaginative exhibition that set out proposals to regenerate Harlow's Town Centre. It is envisaged - through a strong partnership with Harlow Council, Harlow Renaissance and Stockland Development - that by 2013, the town centre will be rebuilt, transformed and will be unrecognisable from its current state. The aim, according to the tri-partite partnership is to:

"reintegrate Harlow Town Centre North with the rest of the town centre and include proposals for new shops, businesses and homes alongside transformed public spaces, a new bus interchange and new leisure facilities".

I am very excited about these plans. Not only will the Town Centre become a hub of cafes, major retail department stores, a new hotel and possibly a new theatre, but the image of Harlow will be enhanced. No longer will snobs and people who should know better, have any simplistic or ignorant excuse to criticise the Town, in the way they do at present. Harlow will be an even better and bigger place to come to, shop, and enjoy local facilities.

I was struck tonight, not just with the unity of all the major political parties, but also with the passionate and heartfelt speeches made by the representatives of the partners involved. Council Leader, Cllr. Andrew Johnson and senior Liberal, Cllr. Linda Pailing in particular set out what the regeneration would do for Harlow, and what it meant for them and the constituents they represented. For Labour, Cllr. Mark Wilkinson, read out a statement of support from the Labour MP, Bill Rammell, who was unable to attend. Stockland and Harlow Renaissance told the assembled audience, in no uncertain terms their determination to make this vision as a reality.

The partnership team is encouraging as many people as possible to come to the Exhibition, which is open for the next few days and is opposite McDonalds in the former Dorothy Perkins Store (next to Vodafone). It is well worth going to see. They also want as many people as possible to set out their views on their website. It is essential, that the public comment and make their views known to the developers and the partners, so that the final plans, really do reflect local aspirations and desires. I left the event feeling inspired by what I had seen and heard. Roll on 2013.

For full details of the proposals you can click on HERE. To leave feedback, go on to HERE.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com