The People's £50million

1.36.02pm GMT Mon 26th Nov 2007

The Big Lottery Fund is running a competition - The People's £50million. We will get to decide a project to receive £50million, there are four projects that have been shortlisted, two of which will result in improvements locally here in the West Midlands. The four projects are The Black Country Urban Park, The Eden Project: The Edge, Sherwood: the Living Legend and Sustrans' Connect2.

The Black Country Urban Park is one of the 'local' bids, and the most local to me. According to the project summary the Black Country as an Urban Park is about the one million people who live there and their brave ambition to radically change the environment in which they live to enrich their lives and that of future generations. Focused on sweeping environmental transformation, it integrates natural and urban environments and will realise the potential of the area's natural, built and historic assets. Community involvement will be integral to our success. A 'green bridge park' will bring the countryside into our town centres - comprising of a 12-mile pedestrian, cycleway and bridleway with a visitor centre at the RSPB Reserve in the middle, linked by a new landmark bridge over the A41 and a low carbon footprint visitor centre at Barr Beacon offering fantastic views across the Midlands to Wales.

The Eden Project: The Edge, according to the project summary represents the next evolution of the Eden Project in Cornwall. It will address the great challenges of the 21st Century; challenges that will ask the best of us. A new building will be built, where communities and families will be able to share the best ideas they have for improving their lives and environments, both now and in the future. Exhibitions will look back to understand how people coped with transformative change in the past. It will also show how people live on 'the edge' today and the ingenious solutions they have come up with to re-invent their lives. Finally, it will look forward to explore how we can find the spirit, imagination and knowledge to engage with the great issues of our age.

Sherwood: the Living Legend. According to the project summary Sherwood Forest is no longer the majestic expanse of woods and heathland that it once was. Industrialisation and the march of time have taken their toll on the ancient greenwood that Robin Hood called home. But that is set to change… Sherwood: the Living Legend will more than double the core size of the ancient oak forest; provide environmentally friendly visitor facilities; create one of the biggest walking, cycling and horse riding networks in Europe and help local communities celebrate and share their connections to Sherwood's nature, history and legends. Most importantly, our project will protect the fragile ecology of one of the world's most famous forests and its veteran oak trees, so it can be enjoyed by future generations.

Sustrans' Connect2 is the other project that will directly impact on the West Midlands. According to the project summary Connect2 is a UK-wide project that aims to improve local travel in 79 communities by creating new walking and cycling routes for the local journeys we all make every day. By building bridges and crossings over busy roads, rivers and railway lines, Connect2 will get people to the places they want to go. Each crossing will link to a network of walking and cycling routes, taking you to your schools, shops, work and green spaces. Connect2 will improve local travel in ways that will benefit people's health and the environment for generations to come. The projects cover cities, towns, villages, the countryside and the coastline. From the grandest bridge to the humblest road crossing, each project is inspirational in design but in keeping with the area's character and the needs of the local community.

The decision of which project receives £50million lies with us - voting begins a week today and you will be able to vote by phone and on the internet - there will also be an accompanying television show.

You can find out more about The People's £50million and each of the projects at http://www.thepeoples50million.org.uk/home