Dave Thomas: New focus on providing affordable housing

We held an extraordinary Cabinet this week to look at and discuss how we can increase the numbers of affordable properties available here across the Bay 

We are focussed on increasing the amount of affordable housing across Torbay and we have started our journey by creating a new Strategic Housing Services Team. One of the workstreams that forms part of this initiative is what we are calling the ‘Hotels to Homes programme.’

This programme is looking at increasing new social housing through acquiring and converting former hotel type buildings and turning them into new, high-quality homes. To support us with this, we have been awarded a grant of £3million to deliver the first project in this scheme.

These new homes will be let through Devon Home Choice and will be available to those households which have a local connection to the Bay. We also want to ensure that these affordable homes are available to households where at least one adult is working in a key worker role, for example; those who work in the NHS or emergency services. 

One reason we are keen for these properties to be available to key workers is that our partners have told us a lack of good quality affordable housing is having a direct impact on their recruitment and retention. This is then creating a major implication for the health service to deliver their services, and ultimately the health outcomes for you as residents.

The first scheme we are hoping to convert will provide 14 homes with a range of one and two-bedroom flats. All homes will be built to modern standards and will include low carbon heating. 

As you can imagine, there are a lot of moving parts to this and we hope to soon be able to share more information on where this first scheme will be. If all goes according to plan, we are hoping that these new flats will be able to be occupied this time next year. 

Together with discussing affordable housing the Cabinet also discussed and took the first step towards acquiring land for a new Technology Park in Paignton. You may remember hearing about a Levelling Up Fund grant we were successful in being awarded – it was our Fish and Hi-Tech Chips bid. This decision was the next step in delivering the outcomes promised in that bid request.

As always, the Cabinet meeting was live streamed on the Council’s YouTube channel, however if you missed it, the recording is always available for you to watch again at a time that suits you.

Before concluding, I wanted to give you an update on our Residents Discount Scheme - My Bay which launched its Early Bird sign up earlier this month.

We have received some great interest in this so far with over 50 businesses signed up with their offers and discounts. We have also had over 400 residents sign up, ready to receive the card to access these discounts. 

As a reminder, the My Bay resident card will give you an extra hour parking in Council car parks, free access to public toilets up to 33 times along with accessing the local discounts provided by our local businesses.

To give you a flavour of those offers, you can get discounts off food at the Geo-Park Cafe on Paignton Seafront, discount off food, ice-creams and drinks at the North Sands Kiosk and bar at Goodrington. The Artizan Gallery are also offering discounts and Dotprint is offering a discount on any printing service. Furthermore, we have several culture and entertainment venues providing discounts including the Torbay Comedy Club and Vue Cinema in Paignton. Many more conversations are happening, including some of the Bay’s largest companies and attractions; the list grows daily.

If you haven’t signed up yet, or you want to know more, visit www.torbay.gov.uk/my-bay. Here you can also sign up to the My Bay newsletter and be notified when new offers and discounts are added and if you are business, you can also register your offer or discount as well.