Thu. Dec 26th, 2024

It has been criticised for being congested, deprived, run down and plagued by drug problems, but the seaside town of Torquay is set for a £22million makeover.

The Devon resort, which is famed for beaches including Babbacombe and Oddicombe, sits on a stretch of coastline dubbed the ‘English Riviera’.

But for some the town, which is home to some 50,000 people, has fallen on hard times, with shuttered shops, crime and poverty identified as local challenges.

By contrast, Torquay Harbour on the north shore of Tor Bay offers a haven for yachts and has been hailed as an ideal spot to explore the coast.

And it is the town’s harbourside which is set to be transformed into what the local council describes as a “well-connected, high-quality, modern, and vibrant place”.

Torbay Council has contracted Montel Civil Engineering to deliver the “biggest transformation” Torquay has seen for decades.

The scheme, made possible after the town hall secured almost £21.9m of funding, will be delivered in five phases.

Work on the plans was due to start on Wednesday (November 1) with traffic on Torquay’s Strand reduced to a single lane and temporary bus stops put up.

Cllr Chris Lewis, Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth at Torbay Council, said: “It is incredibly exciting to have the first of Torquay’s regeneration projects starting, with more to follow in 2024.”

A computer-generated image shows designs for the harbourside area including an extended walkway, planting and cycle lanes.

Vince Flower, who chairs Torquay Town Deal Board, said: “We’ve been committed to driving forward change in Torquay.

“Work starting on this project is a significant milestone in delivering the Town Investment Plan – which ultimately is about creating a town centre that we can all be proud of and is fit for the future.

“Once this project is completed it is going to deliver a range of benefits to residents, visitors, and businesses.”

Work will be carried out over five stages with a target completion date of autumn 2024.

The final phase, due to begin in September, should see the installation of a tribute to crime writer Agatha Christie, who was born in Torquay.

On top of the harbourside and town centre’s transformation, the former Corbyn Head Hotel in Torquay is also set for a revamp.

Lib Dem group leader on Torbay Council, Steve Darling, told Torbay Today in March: “I love my home town Torquay, but just like an old friend that has fallen upon hard times, we know only too well, areas [where] improvement is desperately needed.”

He told the publication, while securing the Town Deal funding, it does not “touch the sides” of the £700m the local authority has faced in cuts.

But according to the town’s leaders, better times are ahead for the ‘English Riviera’ resort.

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