Happy New Year, Torbay!

As 2025 closes, Torbay can look to 2026 with optimism for what the year may bring across our towns and communities.

From regeneration projects and housing to events, festivals, and local innovation, the Bay is set for a busy and exciting year ahead.

The biggest headline of late 2025 - and one with long-term impact - was the future of Paignton Zoo. Dutch company Libema’s takeover has secured the attraction, safeguarding jobs and giving residents and visitors confidence that one of the Bay’s most-loved landmarks will continue to thrive. With investment planned and new initiatives on the horizon, the zoo will remain a cornerstone of Torbay’s tourism and community life.

Regeneration will continue to shape the Bay in 2026. Torbay Council’s place-shaping visions for Brixham, Torquay, and Paignton provide a blueprint for investment, development, and improvements to public spaces.

In Brixham, plans to enhance pedestrian links, transform South Quay car park, revitalise Fore Street, and strengthen connections around the harbour will aim to create a more vibrant town centre while respecting its historic character.

Torquay will see projects supported by the Pride in Place fund, with improvements to the Strand, the Melville Community Hub, and cultural initiatives like the Festival of Torquay 2027 all set to benefit residents and visitors alike. 

Paignton Picture House has received a major boost in 2025, securing a £675,246 grant from Historic England to restore the Grade II* listed cinema and bring it closer to reopening in 2026. The funding will protect fragile original features and stabilise the building — one of Europe’s oldest purpose-built cinemas - which has been on the Heritage at Risk Register since 2013. Historic England’s total investment in the project now exceeds £940,000.

Meanwhile, restoration at Oldway Mansion has hit a more challenging phase. The Victorian mansion, empty since 2013, requires extensive roof repairs. Torbay Council has submitted a planning application to carry out internal alterations to support the gym roof and external work on the lantern roof, both critical to stabilising the historic structure.

Housing and town centre regeneration will continue across Torbay in 2026. Brampton House, opened in 2025, provides modern social-rent homes for local key workers, with a second site set to begin construction mid-year. The Council’s ‘Hotels to Homes’ programme will repurpose under-used sites, increasing affordable housing while supporting town centre renewal. Allocations prioritise local households, helping to strengthen communities across Torquay, Paignton, and Brixham.

Innovation and sustainability are also high on the 2026 agenda. ARC Marine is transforming the former Living Coasts site into a national Marine Innovation Hub, with reef restoration, sustainable marine infrastructure, and ocean conservation projects at the forefront. The facility promises jobs, environmental benefits, and a new chapter for Torquay’s waterfront.

Events and community activity will also mark 2026 as a year to enjoy what the Bay does best. Electric Bay is already planning its next festival, with last years spectacle seeing an estimated £2 million boost to the local economy and 17,000 people partying the night away on Torre Abbey Meadows - all record numbers. That didn’t take into account those gyrating on the promenade and sea wall.

All told, 2026 offers a combination of long-term regeneration, environmental innovation, and community-focused projects across the Bay. With careful planning, investment, and participation from residents and businesses, the year ahead promises opportunities to see tangible progress, enjoy local events, and continue building the Torbay community for the future.

Here’s to a year of visible change, exciting developments, and, hopefully, plenty of reasons to enjoy all that the Bay has to offer.

Happy New Year to all our Torbay Weekly readers, contributors, and everyone out there making the news worth sharing!