91 care apartments and new day centre planned for Paignton

Residents are being invited to have their say on revised plans that aim to transform the former Crossways Shopping Centre in Paignton.

Torbay Council, working in partnership with Willmott Dixon and Milligan, is pushing ahead with a scheme to redevelop the vacant town centre site into high-quality extra care housing for local people.

The new proposals focus on delivering 100 per cent social housing, with 91 extra care apartments, shared communal areas, a café, and a purpose-built day centre to replace the ageing Hollacombe Community Resource Centre.

The council said that changes to building regulations introduced under the 2022 Building Safety Act have made the original scheme, approved in February 2021, “economically unviable". In response, the council and its development partners have brought in specialist architectural firm PRP to redesign the scheme. The new plans are intended to meet updated safety requirements and better reflect the scale and character of Paignton town centre.

Above: Ground floor plan. Image: Torbay Council

The updated design increases the number of extra care homes from 76 to 91 while reducing the overall footprint of the building by around 1,500 square metres. It also removes previously proposed sheltered housing units.

The revised scheme includes a café space with a frontage on Torquay Road and landscaped gardens. The new day centre will feature sensory areas, activity rooms, and other specialist spaces designed to support well-being. Parking will be available on-site, including spaces with electric vehicle charging.

These changes have been made to improve the scheme’s financial viability while delivering a project that will bring long-term benefits to the town centre.

The consultation forms part of a wider programme of investment planned across Torbay. Over the coming years, the council aims to deliver up to 700 new homes, new healthcare facilities including diagnostic centres and GP surgeries, and new jobs in construction, healthcare, retail, leisure, and hospitality. Plans also include a high-end boutique hotel, new independent cafés and restaurants, upgraded public spaces, and improved parking provision.

Above: Hyde Road Elevation. Image: Torbay Council

Councillor Chris Lewis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth at Torbay Council, said: “We’re pleased to unveil the details of a revised scheme to provide 91 new affordable extra-care homes alongside a new purpose-built day centre for the benefit of local people. This is a positive scheme for Paignton, making the best use of this underutilised town centre brownfield site.

“The team is united in getting the revised scheme through the planning process as quickly as we can. This is an exciting project for Paignton, and we look forward to hearing from staff and families from the existing day centre, the local community, and nearby businesses, who we expect will benefit from having more people living in the town centre.

“My thanks go to the whole team that has worked so hard to redesign the site and come up with a new financial strategy to ensure the site’s delivery.”

Torbay Council has already started talks with Homes England about securing grant funding to support delivery of the development as 100 per cent social housing for local residents.

Residents, businesses, and visitors are encouraged to learn more about the proposals and share their feedback. Views can be submitted through an online questionnaire or by completing a paper copy, which will be available in Paignton Library. The consultation will remain open until midnight on Monday, 23 June. Following this, the council and its partners intend to submit a planning application.

To view and comment on the proposals, visit https://yoursay.torbay.gov.uk/crossways.