To consider the submitted report on the above.

The Council considered the Transformation Strategy for Torbay’s Town Centres (as set out in the submitted report) for inclusion as a Policy Framework document, appended to the Council’s Economic Strategy.  It was noted the Town Centre Regeneration Strategy had two key objectives, namely: 

·         to deliver and enable significant and successful regeneration of Torbay’s town centres, as a key part of Torbay’s overall growth and place making agenda;  and

·         to generate income to support the Council’s budget in order to deliver local services.

Councillor Haddock proposed and Councillor King seconded a motion, which was agreed by the Council as set out below:

(i)         that the “Transformation Strategy for Torbay’s Town Centres”, which includes the actions to deliver Phase 1 of the Town Centres Regeneration Programme, including direct delivery of development by the Council, and is set out in Appendix 1 to the submitted report, be agreed and adopted as a Policy Framework document as an Appendix to the Council’s Economic Strategy;

(ii)        that, in accordance with the Transformation Strategy for Torbay’s Town Centres, the Town Centres Regeneration Programme Board be requested to pursue a range of actions as described within the Strategy, including the development of full business cases, for the following priority projects on Council-owned land:

(a)       Harbour View – between The Terrace and Museum Road, Torquay;

            (b)       Paignton Harbour;

            (c)       Upton Place (behind the Town Hall), Torquay;

(d)       Victoria Centre, Paignton;

(e)       Lower Union Lane and the linkage to Union Street, Torquay;  and

(f)        Brixham Town Centre;

(iii)       that the Town Centres Regeneration Programme Board be requested to continue to work with the owner of Crossways, Paignton and potential investors to secure an appropriate and accelerated redevelopment of the site in support of regeneration in accordance with the Strategy;

(iv)      that the Town Centres Regeneration Programme Board be requested to continue to work with Network Rail and Stagecoach, other land owners, Great Western Railway and investors to secure delivery of a new Paignton Civic Hub, focused around the bus/rail stations and the library in Paignton, in accordance with the Strategy;

(v)       that, having developed a full business case for each Town Centre regeneration site, including but not limited to those identified in (ii), (iii) and (iv) above, the Town Centres Regeneration Programme Board should seek a decision from the Council to proceed as and when appropriate;

(vi)      that the Council supports, in principle, the following priority public realm projects and requests that the Town Centres Regeneration Programme Board develop full business cases for projects and present them to Council for a decision to proceed as and when appropriate:

(a)       Castle Circus, Torquay;

(b)       GPO roundabout, Torquay;

(c)       Cary Parade/The Strand, Torquay;

(d)       Market Street junction with Union Street, Torquay;

(e)       Between the former BHS store and Union Square, Torquay;

(f)        Station Square, Paignton;

(g)       Between Victoria Street/Torbay Road, Paignton;  and

(h)       Junction of Palace Avenue, Totnes Road and Victoria Street, Paignton;

(vii)     that an allocation from the Council’s overarching 2016/2017 Transformation Budget (and any agreed rolled over to 2017/2018) be earmarked for Town Centre Regeneration to be determined by the Chief Executive to support up to four additional FTEs and to meet professional and other costs associated with delivering the town centre regeneration programme at pace and scale;

(viii)    that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and the Executive Head of Business Services, consider reprioritising existing regeneration resources in order to prioritise town centre regeneration;

(ix)      that any revenue surplus generated from the Town Centres Regeneration Programme be earmarked to fund a Town Centre Investment Fund with any capital receipts from the Programme being allocated by the Council in accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework;  and

(x)       that the Policy Framework be amended to reflect that any disposal of assets required to facilitate the Town Centre Regeneration Programme will be a Council function.

(Note:  In accordance with Standing Order A19.6, Councillor Mills requested his abstention from voting on the motion to be recorded.)