Jim Parker: How Paignton will be transformed from a tired 1970s seaside resort into a 21st century town

Some of my happiest days as a journalist were spent in Paignton.
I had wonderful mentors with the likes of Brian Noon and John Sparey teaching me the tricks of the trade on the old Torbay News out of Victoria Street.
The town was full of characters, too many to name individually although there will always be a place in my heart for Pat and Ina Fudge, once landlords of the now-gone Gerston pub where let’s say contact building with the local gendarmerie was always enjoyable. Perhaps I will write a book one day.
Paignton was still very much one of my favourite places when I moved across to the Herald Express. In fact, Paignton was the focus of my first column in the Herald almost 50 years ago. Blimey!
Then Paignton was a vibrant, lively town with lots to offer both visitors and locals alike. Independents mixed with national chain stores filled the likes of Hyde Road and Victoria Street, and Torbay Road was doing what it has always been doing with its array of gift shops and the like.
But over the years, just like other seaside towns up and down the country, Paignton has lost its way a little. Don’t get me wrong, it’s in a far better shape than many other resorts and still has a lot going for it, but it could be so much better and offer so much more.
Now Torbay Council has grabbed the Paignton bull by the horns to give it a new, modern future. Just like its neighbours Torquay, a ‘Paignton Vision’ has been drawn up for the town which will determine what it looks like in years and generations to come.
And that could see major changes, including how streets look and a new town-to-waterfront environment, offer and experience with possibly a new town centre multi-storey car park and part of the bus station becoming a supermarket with accommodation.
The catalyst for change has been a public/private sector regeneration partnership with developers Willmott Dixon and Milligan and large sums of investment from different government funding pots.
Key sites are now being identified which could be transformed with game-changing redevelopment projects to create new jobs, new homes and boost the local economy to the tune of millions and millions of pounds.
The Torquay Vision has already delivered on a couple of sites, in particular The Strand on the harbourside. A luxury four-star hotel development to replace the former Debenhams store on the harbour and a total revamp of the Union Square area half way up the town are next up on the regeneration cards. Several other areas will follow over the next few years.
The Paignton Vision is being described as ‘bold and new’. The ‘Place’ Vision outlines how key regeneration sites will work together to revitalise the town, with the game-changing projects taking in the waterfront and town centre areas. It doesn’t mean that every site will be razed to the ground, destroyed or lose its natural beauty. These are ‘opportunities’ and the community will have a major say in how and if they are progressed.
The local authority was awarded funding from One Public Estate to produce an overarching place vision for ‘Transforming Torbay’.
A report to the council’s cabinet on Tuesday says: “The successful bids for Future High Streets Funding, Town Deal, Levelling Up Partnership, Levelling Up Round 3 and the recent direct award through the Plans for Neighbourhoods, in addition to the development sites acquired by the council since 2019, has created the need to for a place vision that links the funding and assets (development sites) together.
“This will create a clear vision of how development sites work together to regenerate Torbay as whole, and at local level to address both the needs and exploit the opportunities of the economies of Brixham Port and Town Centre, Paignton Town Centre and Harbour and Torquay Town Centre and Harbour.”
‘Visions’ for Brixham and Torbay overall will follow.
On Paignton, the report to councillors says: “The town centre currently faces significant economic challenges, which directly impact employment opportunities for the local population. The opportunity is there to build on Paignton’s strong identity to attract more visitors, raising spending in the town centre and therefore providing more opportunities for local businesses to thrive.
“The development proposals for the sites in Paignton that are currently being worked up have been produced iteratively with the delivery of Paignton and Preston Waterfront Public Realm Improvements which are currently on site, the development of the site proposals for Crossways, emerging masterplan ideas for Victoria Square/Centre and Paignton Gateway which will incorporate the Station Square public realm enhancements.”
The sea defence work for Paignton and Preston seafront are already under way but could be just part of a new waterfront picture.
The report talks about the associate public realm benefits with the sea defence project, cycle paths, improvements to the pier, additional food and drink pavilions, supporting and enhancing the harbour marketplace with local business support and additional offers to attract locals and tourists, the potential future redevelopment of the cinema site to open up the vista along Torbay Road to the sea and future improvements to the geopark offer.
Infrastructure improvements to Paignton Green to allow for a wide range of events to be held year-round, including out-of-season opportunities and additional watersports opportunities are listed.
Deputy council leader Chris Lewis, in charge of regeneration, revealed that discussions — albeit in the really early stages — are being held with Stagecoach about the bus station and with Great Western Railway about its train station car parking area.
Cllr Lewis says: “Stagecoach do not want all the land they have at the bus station. Part of that could be used for a mini-supermarket with accommodation above it. With Lidl gone from the town centre it could be a much better location for a supermarket.”
He added: “A new multi-storey car park would be using the station’s current car park and linking it with the council car park in Station Lane.”
On the back of these possible developments, it has been decided to put public realm improvements for Station Square on hold.
Cllr Lewis said: “It was a difficult decision but the council decided that until we have a full plan for the ‘gateway’ including Station Square it would be wrong to do it. We would have been told we were crazy digging it all up to do it again in 18 months time.”
Preston councillor Lewis says these are exciting times for Paignton which is a huge part of the Bay’s regenerated future.
He says: “I think there is more regeneration in Paignton than there is in Torquay. It is fantastic. The Paignton Picture House will be opened next year; Victoria Square car park has been demolished to make way for 200 apartments; Crossways will be starting in the first half of next year if we get planning permission; Oldway Mansion and a £9million first phase of its renovation work is under way; two branded hotels have opened on the seafront; Paignton harbour has been transformed with Mollys and the Harbour Lights pub and there are also discussions about a water sports hub.”
He emphasises: “Paignton harbour has been lost over the years. A lot of people do not realise what is there, but the character of the harbour will not be destroyed. We realise the importance of Paignton harbour.”
Cllr Lewis pleads for patience. He says: “Rome was not built in a day. Paignton will not be changed in a day. People expect it to happen overnight but it won’t.
“We have a plan for Paignton and we are going to deliver for Paignton. Anybody in Paignton in five years time will need a new map and visitor guide. It is not going to happen overnight. Paignton is not going to be transformed in a day.
“It is going to take time and people have to be patient. It took Exeter and Plymouth 25 years to get their shopping malls. I am not saying it is going to take 25 years here.
“We need to have a vision so people can see something is happening."
The Torbay Story gives Paignton the headline theme of ‘Family Fun on the Foreshore’. It promises much more now.
Cllr Lewis says: “Paignton will be transformed from a 1970s tired seaside resort to a 21st century town that people want to visit.”