1.    that, subject to including Cary Green as a green space for public realm improvements, the use of the Torquay Vision document (as set out at Appendix 1) to steer both the delivery of current regeneration sites and the development of future proposals for the sites and areas of public realm identified by the vision as suggested priorities be approved;

2.    that delegated authority be given to the Director of Pride in Place to make minor amendments to the vision in consultation with the Leader of the Council, noting that any proposed substantial amendments will be presented to Cabinet for approval.

To respond to the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Board and to provide a guiding document to:

·         increase investment in our three towns to enable them to develop their own distinct identities and role;

·         attract, retain, and grow our economic specialisms so we have growth which builds on our reputation;

·         create a future pipeline of investment priorities derived from the evidence used to produce the Visions and from our emerging Economic Plan.

Option 1 – Do Nothing – This would have resulted in handing back the OPE 8 funding allocated for the purpose of producing a strategy of for Transforming Torbay.

Option 2 – Take a statutory Masterplanning approach by updating the current adopted Masterplans for Paignton and Torquay Town Centres. This would have taken a longer period of time and not covered the wider Torbay area and been subject to a length statutory consultation period. With the current Government requiring that all Local Plans were to be updated by the end of the current parliament the visions along with the new Local Plan can inform the need to update or supersede the current town centre Masterplans.

Option 3 – The preferred option - produce vision documents for; Torbay, Brixham Port and Town Centre, Paignton Town Centre and Harbour and Torquay Town Centre and Harbour.

This decision will come into force and may be implemented on 2 September 2025 unless the call-in procedure is triggered (as set out in the Standing Orders in relation to Overview and Scrutiny).

The successful bids for Future High Streets Funding, Town Deal, Levelling Up Partnership, Levelling Up Round 3 (LUF3), and the recent direct award through the Plans for Neighbourhoods, in addition to the development sites acquired by the Council since 2019, had created the need for a place vision that links the funding and assets (development sites) together. This would 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. Change will come through using the overall vision across Torbay to shape existing and future proposals in line with the vision for Torbay and at a local level in more detailed the visions for Brixham, Paignton and Torquay.

As the development proposals for the sites in Torquay were the most advanced, the Torquay vision had been produced iteratively with the delivery of Harbour Public Realm and its positive outcomes, the development of the site proposals for Union Square, The Strand and the restoration of the Pavilion and emerging ideas for Lower Union Lane and Fleet Street/Fleet Walk.

The Overview and Scrutiny Board considered the Torquay Town Centre Place Vision report on 13 August 2025 and made recommendations to Cabinet.  At the meeting Councillor Chris Lewis proposed and Councillor David Thomas seconded a motion that was agreed unanimously by the Cabinet, as set out above.

None