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Group seeks regeneration ideas
Lancashire Evening Post | 16th March 2010

A business lobbying group is seeking ideas from members of the public on how they would like to see Preston regenerated.

Downtown Preston in Business, which has nearly 100 members in the city's business community, has launched a new section on its website for people to submit ideas as part of its City Thinking initiative.

Chairman Frank McKenna said the ideas would be drawn together by its Downtown Ideas Board, made up of key businesses in the city, and presented to Preston Vision at its annual Lancashire Business Week event on May 17.

He said: "The idea is not to go over old ground and repeat what people think is wrong about Preston, it is about accepting its shortcomings and having meaningful solutions to the problems.

"We launched the City Thinking initiative as a way of trying to get past the cynicism there seems to be about everything which goes on, and what we would like are realistic and positive suggestions for change in Preston.

"If that goes against the existing plans, that is okay, as long as what is being suggested is a genuine alternative and not just a criticism."

The section on the website went live on Monday and will be available until the start of Business Week in two months.

Earlier this month the former Lancashire County Council deputy leader hit out at "heritage extremists" which he claimed were holding back the city's plans for regeneration, including proposals for changes to the historic Winckley Square and the Flag Market.

He said: "It's about time that those who are positive about the city's future and want to get on and do things worked more closely together."

To submit your ideas to the City Thinking initiative, visit ww.downtownpreston.com/citythinking