“An open-air theatre, a pier venue and a marina are among the five final designs in a competition to re-imagine Sidmouth’s eastern town.

Ideas came in from around the world – from Japan to Peru and Brazil – with entrants letting their imaginations run riot to redefine the Regency resort.

A jury has whittled some 18 designs down to a shortlist of five – and now Sidmouth citizens can vote for their favourite.

The competition was dreamed up by Sidmouth-born architect Henry Beech Mole, who said: “The shortlisted entries represent a good variety of possible futures for Sidmouth – a pier, a marina, landscapes, ecological strategies, and new public spaces – any of which would be great additions to the town. We would now hope that, with local support, we can move towards trying to implement the winning scheme. This is an unusual chance for the town to think about what it wants to be in the 21st century.

“I hope that through the competition we can move away from the binary arguments of tradition and progression and take an holistic view of how the town can retain its charm and beauty while also evolving to become a more vibrant and successful place for the future.”

For now, these are just ideas – their implementation will be down to the landowners. The detailed designs will be exhibited until Tuesday, July 12, at Kennaway House, where residents can vote for their favourite.

They can also be seen online at sidmouthherald.co.uk

The winning entry will be revealed on July 13.”