Oldway Mansion thrown £8 million lifeline

Paignton's Oldway Mansion is to receive an £8 million boost as the wraps come off the Government's latest cash backing for the Bay.

A special government team has been working with Torbay Council and key business and community leaders ever since Levelling Up Funding worth £20.25million was announced for the English Riviera several months ago.

Priority projects were agreed and drawn up by the Torbay Place Leadership Board and have now been 'signed off' by Ministers.

The latest package of regeneration support from the Government has been announced for the first time and includes £8million for the first phase of the Oldway Masterplan to breathe new life into the iconic building. 

The focus of the work at Oldway will be on the remedial work which is needed to secure both key parts of the building and further funding to re-open more of the mansion which was once one of the jewels in the crown of the Bay.

This latest funding is in addition to the £1million budget for Oldway already agreed by the Conservative Leadership of Torbay Council. Work is also continuing to secure additional support for Oldway from groups such as the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The game-changing regeneration package will also see a further £7million being provided to support work to improve the sea defences and public realm at Paignton and Preston. 

Another £3million will be spent on 'Accommodation repurposing' aimed at converting derelict or unused holiday accommodation into permanent homes for residents.

Brixham town centre will be given a £1million facelift with another public realm project.

And £500,000 has been earmarked to improve the Bay's 'cultural infrastructure', creating things like better access to venues,

Melville Square, a community led public realm improvement project in an area of high deprivation in Torquay Town Centre will get a £240,000 boost and 'People's Parkfield -  a scheme to convert Parkfield House in Paignton into a sustainable community asset -. £200,000.

A Foxhole Play and Ecology Hub at Paignton will also receive £60,000.

Torbay’s MP Kevin Foster said: “This is a massive boost for our bay from the Conservative Government, meaning we can finally get major refurbishment work underway at Oldway Mansion, the jewel in our bay’s crown.

"During months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, I have been working with the Conservative Leadership of Torbay Council, Government Ministers and many local partners to get this deal over the line. The funding for Oldway, together with the support secured for Paignton’s Sea Defences, Housing, Parkfield and Melville Square, makes this a great day for our bay.”

Levelling Up Minister Jacob Young said: “Torbay is at the heart of our levelling up agenda, and I have been delighted to work with local leaders to develop this partnership to ensure it delivers for people. The investment will provide a major levelling up boost to the area including by providing more homes for local people helping bring the historic Oldway Mansion back to its former glory and deliver the brighter bay residents deserve.”

Council leader David Thomas added: "Here in Torbay we are at the beginning of a once in a generation transformation journey. Our focus is on making the most of our marine and natural environment alongside the heritage that has shaped the English Riviera. We will be doing this through regeneration, delivering meaningful improvements, benefiting those who live, work and visit the Bay. Hearing that we have secured this Levelling Up Partnership funding is fantastic news. This funding, along with other funding already secured, will really give us the opportunity to drive forward a range of projects that will have an impact on all three of our towns of the Bay - Brixham, Paignton and Torquay.”

“Hearing that we have secured this Levelling Up Partnership funding is fantastic news. This funding, along with other funding already secured, will really give us the opportunity to drive forward a range of projects that will have an impact on all three of our towns of the Bay - Brixham, Paignton and Torquay.”

The government says the major tailored levelling up regeneration programme is designed to 'breathe new life into the popular seaside destination' and will 'turbo-charge regeneration and boost opportunities across Torquay, Paignton and Brixham to ensure they can thrive'.

It says Levelling Up Partnerships, first announced in the 2023 Spring Budget, are bespoke regeneration programmes targeted in areas that have too often been ignored. The government uses them to level up skills and opportunities, improve people’s quality of life, and address deep-rooted local challenges, giving these areas the best possible chance to thrive. 

This funding builds on over £75 million of investment in the area including £20m from the Levelling Up Fund Round 3 to boost jobs in the fishing and electronics sector including by investing into Brixham Fish market, £20million through the Long-Term Plan for Towns and a £20million Town Deal to transform Torquay, and almost £300,000 from the Community Ownership Fund to regenerate the historic Paignton picture house. Other funding includes over £13million through the Future High Streets Fund to support the transformation of Paignton town centre and around £2million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The Bay is also set to benefit from a devolution deal signed with Devon County Council and Torbay Council earlier this year to create a new combined county authority, with a further £16million awarded to invest into local housing priorities, Net Zero ambitions and green skills.

The full Levelling Up partnership regeneration list announced today is:

Paignton and Preston Sea Defences (£7m)

Funding to support public realm improvements as part of a revised coastal defences scheme.

This will improve access to the natural environment and help design out anti-social behaviour. The overall project started in July 2023 with a planned completion in March 2027. (The LUP funding part of the project - April 2024 until March 2025).                                                                                                                                                                          

Cultural Infrastructure (£500k)

Partners have identified the potential to improve the cultural infrastructure across Torbay by creating better access to venues where performances, workshops and other creative and cultural activities are taking place. This includes the potential to support candidate National Portfolio Organisations and to identify premises for repurposing as small cultural and creative spaces to nurture and showcase local talent providing start up opportunities for local creatives.  

Oldway Mansion (£8million)

Funding for the first phase of the refurbishment of Oldway Mansion.    

Brixham Central Square and Carpark public realm (£1million)

The proposed scheme will improve the look of an important gateway to Brixham and increase the number of car parking spaces, ameliorating a local challenge. (The overall project will start in April 2024 with an expected completion in October 2025. The project funded by LUP will start in April 2024 and complete in March 2025.)

Accommodation repurposing (£3.25million, including the only revenue element of £250k)

Funding for repurposing holiday accommodation into more permanent homes for residents.                                                                                               

Community Infrastructure, £500,000

A funding pot managed to support improvements to community infrastructure and youth provision within Torbay’s most deprived neighbourhoods. Three projects to receive funding:

• Melville Square (£240,000) - A community led public realm improvement project in an area of high deprivation in Torquay town centre.
• People's Parkfield (£200,000) - Funding to convert Parkfield House into a sustainable community asset.
• Foxhole Play and Ecology Hub (£60,000) - An indoor/outdoor base for youth, community and school groups in Kings Ash, Paignton.