A long awaited public inquiry into the £350m SnOasis winter sports centre proposed for Eastern England resort has begun. SnOasis is likely to be one of the world’s ten largest indoor snow centres if it opens as planned with a 475m slope and an unusually big 100m vertical drop.

Barristers acting for Onslow Suffolk, the company behind SnOasis, and also for Persimmon Homes Anglia, which wants to build a 421 homes next to it argue that the facility will create jobs, develop the local and regional economy and improve infrastructure with a new railway station planned.

The proposal is supported by the local council but opposed by a group of local residents and the government ordered that a public enquiry into the plan be staged before work commenced. Opponents, The SNoasis Community Alliance, say the plans would lead to huge transport, environmental and ecological problems.

The Enquiry is expected to last to the end of February. A report will themn be compiled and the final decision to grant or refuse the development will be made by the Secretary of State for communities and local governments.