People urged to give views on Wellington's future

The Wellington Future Farm drop-in event will be held at the town's civic and leisure centre on Larkin Way between 10am and noon on Saturday.

The consultation follows last year's Ideas Farm where people joined together to 'grow their own' ideas for Wellington, which resulted in the formation of The Clifton Steering Group.

This year's event is specifically aimed at supporting the town council's work to shape a vision for Wellington centre in 2020.

Residents are invited to drop in during the session to put forward ideas and contribute views on Wellington's strengths and weaknesses and what the town's ambitions should be over the next few years.

Topics under discussion will include how the environment, socialising, employment and housing should be developed.

Future Farm will be led by Rob Francis from research organisation OPM. He said: "The future of traditional town centres is a hot topic at the moment, partly due to the effects of the recession but also because of longer term trends relating to the way people now shop and spend their leisure time.

"In Wellington, we can either sit back and watch that change overwhelm us, or we can be proactive and realise the opportunities that change could present.

"Shaping a realistic vision for the town is a first step – then it will be up to everyone who cares about Wellington to help make it happen."

An online survey has also been designed as part of the project, to which residents living in the TF1, TF5 and TF6 postcode areas are invited to respond.

One of the main areas of concern to come out of last year's Ideas Farm was the future of the former Clifton cinema. Residents overwhelmingly wanted to see a community use for the building, leading to the formation of the Clifton Steering Group to look at the feasibility of re-opening it as an arts complex, cinema or theatre.

To find out more visit the website at www.wellington-shropshire.gov.uk and go to the Your Views page.