Jim Parker: Is the sale of the loos the start of the revolution and the end to our frustrations?

It has to be said that these are not of anybody's specific making - whether you're waving a blue, gold, red or pink and purple political flag or whether you're in charge at the Town Hall or challenging to be in charge.
Nobody saw the dreadful pandemic coming, Putin invading the Ukraine leading to an energy crisis or Liz Truss's 40 'days of madness' which just fanned the flames of a cost of living nightmare that has seen a steep rise in things like food banks so unimaginable in a 21st century modern-day setting.
The Bay was in a reasonably good place before all that kicked off with £40 million government funding to regenerate the town centres in Torquay and Paignton and huge votes of confidence from the private sector, not least the £140 million investment from the Fragrance hotel and property developers. But with all that has happened, including a huge hike in all kinds of costs and interest rates, that regeneration, that new Bay, has stumbled. The £40 million is now nowhere near the figure needed to finance the originally planned schemes and even Fragrance have had to ditch their fabulous scheme for a five-star luxury spa resort at the site of the former Palace Hotel in Torquay.
But enough of this frustration. We simply cannot sit back, shrug our shoulders and do nothing. The new regime now at the helm at the council have promised to deliver despite all the setbacks. Have they started the revolution?
Members of the bay’s all-Conservative cabinet committee have voted unanimously to sell off toilet blocks at Corbyn Head and Preston along with the Old Toll House on Torquay seafront. All three could become cafes or bars in prime waterfront locations.
The previous Liberal Democrat/Independent administration had begun working with would-be operators to develop the same sites. The Corbyn Head loos were all set to be transformed into a restaurant and water sports hub but failed before crossing the finishing line.
The big difference now is that instead of the local authority building the new cafes and bars planned for the old toilets and then letting them out on long leases, the new administration plans for them to go straight on to the market and sell them to the highest bidder.
“When we were elected we promised to deliver, and this is just the start,” pledged deputy council leader Chris Lewis.
“These three buildings in prime sites have been empty for far too long.”
The aim will be to sell the sites for the highest possible prices, and use the money towards other schemes. Any future owners would have to provide public toilets as part of the deal.
An outline planning application will be submitted so that the loos can be sold at auction with permission for redevelopment. The Old Toll House will also be sold, and a review will be carried out to find any other Torbay assets which could be put on the market.
“I don’t believe it is the job of Torbay Council to build or operate these sites,” said Cllr Lewis. “It’s our job to find a solution.
“Look around the Bay and you see prime examples of this kind of thing – the Breakwater Bistro at Brixham, two well-run and established cafes at Broadsands, Cantina at Goodrington, Mollys at Paignton Harbour – I could go on.
“The council is here to help people to develop these sort of sites that could be run by the private sector. Let’s not be political, let’s be positive. Let’s all work together for the good of the Bay."
Cllr Nick Bye said the three sites could become part of Torbay’s ‘amazing’ dining-out scene.
He said: “The English Riviera is absolutely the place to come for eating out, and I don’t think we make enough of that. Let’s get action on these sites.”
Former council leader Steve Darling told the committee he was ‘perplexed’.
“I don’t know how this magic wand of private development will work on these sites. Look at the Shedden Hall and Bancourt hotels – putting something in the private sector doesn’t give the council greater powers over developing it. It actually reduces our opportunities,” he said.
Cllr Darling said the Covid pandemic, Ukraine war and chaos in the economy during and after the short-term premiership of Liz Truss had made financial conditions difficult.
And he warned: “Could this end up being a fire sale for the local authority, and we end up selling things at less than best value?”
Cllr Lewis hit back, telling the former leader: “In the last four years you haven’t managed to do anything with them!”
“We cannot allow these properties to be empty again for the next three or four years,” he said.
Cllr Darling, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has written Dehenna Davison, Minister for Levelling Up, asking for greater flexibility when the spending the government's town centre regeneration cash.
He says he is aware that 30 per cent of the grant money can now be switched around without government permission but he urges the Minister: "I believe you need to give local authorities 100 per cent flexibility."
Torbay has only recently been chosen as a Levelling Up government partner where these kind of game-changing moves are bound to be on the table for discussion.
At end in sight for all those recent frustrations?
“This is the start of the journey,” said Cllr Lewis as the loos went up for sale. The start of the revolution?