Torbay has promised a multi-million-pound regeneration

Councilors said they hoped regeneration plans would attract hundreds of millions of pounds of private investment to the Torbay area over the next 10 years.

Torbay Council’s plans to transform six areas of Torquay and Paignton are publicly funded but will require huge private investment.

A blueprint for a major project to demolish Union Square shopping center and replace it with housing, public spaces and an NHS center has been published.

The store owner, who may have to move out as part of the deal, said there should be better communication about the plans.

Torbay Council established the Revitalization Partnership in November 2023 with programmers Milligan and Willmott Dixon.

On the derelict former Debenhams site on Torquay’s waterfront, the company wants to build approximately 50 new homes, cafes and restaurants, and an exclusive 100-bed hotel.

The plans include demolishing the old car park on Lower Union Lane in Torquay to build between 100 and 155 new homes and demolishing the Victoria Center car park in Paignton to build around 200 homes with a smaller customer car park.

Around 90 residential units are planned for the Crossways site in Paignton as part of a care home, and a similar project is planned for Torre Marina in Torquay.

A new NHS treatment center will be built on the Union Square site and the multi-storey car park will remain, as will the Pannier Market, which is located in a listed building.

David Thomas, Conservative leader of Torbay Council, said the council would contribute £11m in Town Deal funding from central government and hoped to attract private investment worth £50-60m.

He said the city council has long wanted to make the area around Union Square “more residential.”

“This is the big piece that’s needed to drive the stake into the ground,” he said.

“From Union Square to Castle Circus, then from the Strand to Union Square there will be housing with businesses and shops.”

Stuart Harris, Milligan’s chief executive, said: “If we were to develop all six sites over the next 10 years, we would deliver over 700 homes.”

Harris said the partnership is trying to find long-term investors, such as pension funds, interested in “significant investments.”

The council owns Union Square, which has some empty shops but is still home to a Greggs store and The Entertainer toy store.

Stephen Holgate owns the Pannier Market next to Union Square and said he is in talks with authorities about a possible sale of the building.

He started working at the market for his father as a teenager in 1969 as a “Saturday boy”.

He said: “I think it’s a great idea – everyone knows Torquay town center is going through some very difficult times at the moment and anything that brings new life to the town is great.”

The council office does they basically agreed with the idea of ​​Compulsory Purchase Orders for surrounding properties where an agreement cannot be reached.

Luke Cook, owner of Nexus Games on Union Street, is leasing one of the properties that were scheduled to be demolished.

Cook said he had been “left in the dark” about the council’s plans for the area.

“We definitely need some rejuvenation in this part of the city, but the local government hasn’t communicated very well with the businesses that exist here, which is disappointing to say the least,” he said.

Torbay Council has said it hopes to submit a planning application for the Union Square site in 2025, with the hope that work will start in 2026.

It said planning permission would be required for work on the former Debenhams building and demolition work was not expected to take place before autumn 2025.

Authorities said demolition work at Victoria Center would begin “in early 2025.”