'It's just the beginning of a new era'

Torbay Council says it is 'thrilled' to announce that the first phase of work to regenerate the prime waterfront area gets under-way next month.
It says the 'long- awaited, momentous step promises to transform the area into a well-connected, high-quality, modern, and vibrant place' with traffic flow reduced in and around The Strand, buses moved away from the main promenade and a piazza-style pedestrian precinct and walkway created around the landmark Clock Tower.
The project comes from the £21.9million Town Deal funding awarded by the government almost four years ago
Regeneration schemes have been hit by a series of delays caused by Covid, the cost of living crisis and subsequent rising building and development costs which made some planned projects unaffordable to deliver. The same applies over in Paignton where more than £13million was awarded as part of the Future High Streets funding pot and similar schemes have also been held up.
But the overall regeneration planned for the Bay has been given massive new impetus and investment, the likes of which have never been seen before. A deal has been struck with a private sector partner which will yield £100million worth of regeneration projects in the coming years. The government is also investing many more millions identifying Torbay as a 'Levelling Up partner' with a £20million potential funding, announcing the resort will get a share of £400million for its heritage assets and another £20million over the next decade for its town centre plans as well as almost £1million towards its Crossways development in Paignton.
Nick Bye was on the verge of a massive private partnership with the Sir Robert McAlpine development giants when he was Mayor almost a decade ago but it collapsed at the 11th hour.
The Torbay councillor says now: "The stars are aligned for Torbay."
Council deputy leader Chris Lewis added: "The harbour scheme is just the beginning of a new future for the English Riviera."
Montel Civil Engineering has been appointed by the council to deliver what is being described as 'the biggest transformation project that Torquay has seen in decades'.
After months of planning and engaging with the community, residents will finally get to witness major improvements being made.
The council says: "This is the first of the harbourside’s regeneration projects that will bring about significant change to the town centre. "
The project will be delivered in five phases. Torbay Council, together with the contractor, community representatives and transport operators have agreed a project delivery programme that as much as possible reduces the impact of disruption on local businesses and the community. Further mitigation measures to support the area continue to be worked through.
Phase 1 – November to December 2023
Traffic reduced to a single lane running in both directions along the Strand.
Removal and re-construction of the central islands. This includes the removal of all traffic lights and pedestrian crossings.
Relocation of taxi ranks, bus stops, and temporary bus stops being introduced.
Phase 2 – January to May 2024
The Strand will be reduced to a single lane of traffic, traffic management measures will be in operation at the Torwood Street, Victoria Parade, and Strand junctions.
Phase 3 – May to July 2024
Full closure of the Strand to all traffic for approximately eight weeks. Diversionary routes will be in place. During this phase the biggest changes to the road layout will be made.
Phase 4 – July to August 2024
Road closure will be lifted, and traffic will be able to pass through the Strand using the new layout.
Cary Parade will be reduced to a single lane running in both directions.
Phase 5 – September 2024
Final surfacing and finishing works including the installation of a new bronze statue as a tribute to Agatha Christie.
Cllr Lewis, also Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth,said: “It is incredibly exciting to have the first of Torquay’s regeneration projects starting, with more to follow in 2024. Projects of this scale will mean unavoidable temporary disruption to traffic flow in and around the area – temporary disruption for permanent improvements. By engaging with the community before work starts, and sharing as much information as we can about the project, we hope the community work with us, support us and local businesses as we move through this transition period."
Vince Flower, Chair of Torquay Town Deal Board, said: “As a board we’ve been committed to driving forward change in Torquay. Work starting on this project is a significant milestone in delivering the Town Investment Plan – which ultimately is about creating a town centre that we can all be proud of and is fit for the future. Once this project is completed it is going to deliver a range of benefits to residents, visitors, and businesses.”
The ‘stars are aligned’ for Torbay to spend tens of millions of pounds on regeneration.
Torbay's cabinet voted to work with the as-yet unidentified ‘household name’ partner to speed up the new building schemes.
Cllr Bye (Con, Wellswood) told cabinet colleagues: “We’ve had incredibly good news on funding from the government, and if we can all work together we can achieve great things.”
Overall, Torquay’s focus will be on the town centre, with a mix of new homes and businesses in and around the Union Square area off Union Street. In Paignton the emphasis will be town centre areas including Station Square and the Victoria Centre.
Torbay needs to spend a significant proportion of its money by March, and councillors have been told that ‘the urgency is pressing.’
The potential partner has not been named yet, but a report to the cabinet said they would offer more capability and flexibility than the council can manage on its own.
The groundwork has been put together over a number of years under successive council administrations, starting with the Conservatives in 2018. Last year the council, at that time run by a Liberal Democrat/Independent coalition, took its ‘Torbay Story’ pitch to a major conference in Leeds and made contacts with developers, including the new regeneration partner.
Cllr Lewis (Con, Preston) said: "When we were elected in May our priority was delivery, and delivery at pace. We also said we couldn’t do it alone and would need a partner with expertise, experience and determination.”
Liberal Democrat leader Steve Darling (Lib Dem, Barton with Watcombe) said the government money had to be seen against a decade of declining support for local councils from Westminster, but he was pleased to see the new partner ‘making Torbay the hero.’
The bay has been down a similar road before, but a partnership with construction giants Sir Robert McAlpine collapsed after just six months in 2011. The town centres of Torquay and Paignton were earmarked for development then, but work never began.
Cllr Lewis said he is confident it will not happen again, as the current council is more supportive of that way of working than the then-Tory council had been in 2011.
Cllr Bye went on: “This is something that was envisaged many years ago, then suddenly we had years of disappointment.
“We lost our development partner, we lost our way, we lost our vision and we lost a lot of potential inward investment.
“The government and people up the line thought we weren’t worth bothering with. Now things have changed.”