Developers breathe new life into town centre site with £1.7 million scheme

Houseking Developments have spent the last 10 months transforming the Westminster House site in Palace Avenue, Paignton.
The property has a history going back over 100 years.
It was built in about 1900 and was Paignton's second police station. It was demolished in 1970 with a new station being built in Southfield Avenue.
An office block was built in its place and was used firstly by South Devon College. Former financial claims company Emcas moved in and at one time employed 94 full time employees. The company folded in 2018/2019 and the property was left empty for five years.
All this time long-standing occupants Glendevon furnishers have been (since 1978) and still are operating on the ground floor.
Houseking Developments Limited managing director Joseph Jordan said: "After EMCAS, the property started to fall into extreme disrepair. We’ve had a lot of people contacting us asking what was happening with the building as they used to work there. At one given time nearly 200 people were based in the building.
"We took over the building in the later part of 2022. We’ve turned the building into much needed housing in the Bay, utilising an old office block that had been left empty for many years. It has now been completely re-developed into 11 apartments, with solar energy
"We feel that it is imperative to re-develop these disused town centre office block buildings and to bring people back to the high street by creating usable, energy conscious homes."
The development fits in well with local authority ambitions to increase the number of residential properties in town centres, increasing footfall and helping to give the ailing high street the kiss of life
Mr Jordan said: "We decided to keep the Westminster House name because of the history. Our development fits in with what the council is trying to achieve in town centres."
He runs the company with brother and fellow managing director Samuel, who said: "Westminster House is one of those buildings that was perfect for residential conversion, the large open spaces have created great apartments and we look forward to seeing people happy and creating homes here. With the added benefit of local independence shops around Palace avenue it would be great to see the square become a community again."
The apartments are being marketed through Fulfords, Paignton, with a starting price of £160,000.
Joseph says: "The apartments have only been on the market for a week. There has been a lot of interest so far. It has been very positive."