Health and Happiness in our Historic Gardens

About this project 

‘Health and Happiness in our Historic Gardens’ is about enabling more people to enjoy outdoor heritage spaces, maximising the benefit to health and wellbeing, and increasing the pride in the local area.   

The project is focussing on two of our historic parks, Chapel Hill Woods (Torquay) and Victoria Park (Paignton), which have been prioritised due to their town centre locations, their importance to local heritage, and their current condition. 

The aim of the project in the long-term is to improve the condition of and access to these gardens, connecting more people with their local heritage, and enabling more opportunities for our residents to enjoy and benefit from these spaces.   

The first phase of this project is about understanding more about the parks’ history, conservation needs and what they mean to local people through a series of in-person engagements with park users and via an online survey. 

Your feedback will then help shape plans for future initiatives and inform a funding application for phase two to the The National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the Torbay Heritage Place initiative.

How can you get involved in phase one?  

Do you visit Chapel Hill Woods or Victoria Park?  

We would like to know why you visit and value these sites, and your thoughts on how we could encourage more people to connect with, enjoy and benefit from these spaces.   

Please take some time to share your views by filling in our short online survey. You can fill in one or both forms, depending on which park(s) you visit.  

Key timelines  

• Public online survey open – Thursday 2 July to 5pm Thursday 23 July.  

• Recommendations for phase two finalised – Autumn 2026. 

Why is this project important?  

Through projects like these we can help people across Torbay’s communities to discover, enjoy and share our rich heritage, celebrating and protecting the places that make our towns, and the English Riviera, unique. By enhancing our built, natural and green spaces, we will help unlock cultural and heritage opportunities for residents and visitors now and for future generations.   

How is phase one of this project being funded?  

This project has been funded through the Torbay Heritage Place Programme, a ten-year programme of investment by The National Lottery Heritage Fund which aims to boost pride in our region and connect people to Torbay’s unique built, cultural and natural heritage.   

Thanks to National Lottery players, more people in Torquay, Paignton and Brixham will benefit from our remarkable built, cultural and natural heritage.