Younger people are being urged to put forward their ideas on how to shape a port town over the next ten years.

A meeting held last night led to more ideas being aired on the future of Newhaven at the Denton Island Training and Business Centre.

Among proposals already put forward is a new school and the relocation of the railway station to the North Quay to draw more business to the town.

Other ideas included a town manager to work on marketing Newhaven nationwide, a tourist information shop and a retail village with out-of-town stores, such as Ikea.

However, officials at the Newhaven Economic Partnership (NEP) and the Newhaven Community Development Association (NCDA) want to hear more from the younger generation to help shape the ten-year plan.

NEP programme manager Sarah Ireland said: "The two meetings held have been very well attended but we have noticed most of the people attending have been in the 40-plus bracket.

"As the ten-year plan is about the future of Newhaven, we want to hear from the younger generations also.

"The plan will affect these people the most, along with their children."

Amber Wells, of the NCDA, said there was widespread acknowledgement that Newhaven needed to change or be at risk of being merely a drive-through town.

She said: "There seems to be a pool of negativity in Newhaven where some people prefer to keep it as it is.

"The reality is that Newhaven is dying on its feet."