A VISION Board funded by The North West Development Agency is currently brain-storming a dream of how Lancaster and Morecambe may develop in a sustainable way over the next 20 years.

Its brief, timetable and list of members are available on Lancaster city council's website, where the chairman notes that we really ought to be making better use of the unique assets of Morecambe Bay.

However, Morrison's plans for the Frontierland site are likely to go to a planning meeting in October - at least two months before the Board proposes to publish a draft for consultation.

Vision Board manager Catherine Potter aptly describes the current state of Morecambe tourism as something of a hid-den treasure and punching below its weight, while financial prudence seems to underpin what vision the council has.

A council that thinks like this, yet is proud of its promenade, stone jetty, poetry path, and (multiplying) seafront sculptures, is a council in two minds.

By opposing the residential elements in the Frontierland plans and calling for more events like the successful Kite Festival, Geraldine Smith, MP - a Vision Board member - appreciates, I suspect, that the more there is for tourists to do in Morecambe the more often they will visit and the longer they will stay.

The 2007 guests at The Midland Hotel will, for example, thank us for open, clean, accessible promenade toilets and at least some sign that it won't be too long before The Winter Gardens, re-awakens for their delight.

My hope is that our MP will back those who argue for a council policy that provides a greater guarantee of success for such new hotels by insisting that prospective promenade developers focus on leisure, culture, heritage, and entertainment.

It would greatly help her were Morecambe more equably represented on the Vision Board and I advise the immediate co-option of representatives from Urban Splash, Morrisons, the Friends of The Winter Gardens and the promenade fairground at least.

It may also be beneficial to explore the potential for a joint tourist strategy with Barrow-in-Furness, where cruise-ships may soon be calling.

Meanwhile, the council should resist any overtures from residential and industrial developers in relation to the central promenade. This is sacrosanct tourist territory that defines the resort's very identity.

Ray Wilcockson, Morecambe.