Three Torbay schools have benefited from hundreds of fittings that have been 'recycled' during a building upgrade.

The equipment had to be stripped from a building acquired by us at Westfield Business Park in Paignton so it could be upgraded for high-tech use with specialist laboratories. 

One of our officers saw that many of the fittings were still in good condition. So rather than send them to landfill, they decided to look for a way to reuse them.  

Details were shared with colleagues who passed on the information to partners across Torbay. Mayfield School, Watcombe Primary School and White Rock Primary School all came forward to take up the offer. 

Our contractor Nevada Construction was happy to support the process. Around 1,200 ceiling tiles, 50 LED light fittings and hundreds of electrical sockets and carpet tiles were carefully removed and stored before being shared between the schools. 

Cllr Chris Lewis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Lead for Climate Change, said: "Reusing this equipment locally shows how we are working in a sustainable way and means we have been able to help local schools improve their learning environment at no additional cost.  

"It is good to see perfectly good materials being put back to use rather than going to waste. Not only does this reduce the amount of material going to landfill, it also cuts carbon emissions and saves money compared to buying new. 

"I commend the teams involved in making this happen and thank the schools for taking up the offer. I hope this example will inspire more residents and businesses across Torbay to think about recycling and reuse." 

The building at Westfield Business Park is part of the first phase of our longer-term vision to establish a Technology Park in Torbay. This will build on the strength of the high-tech sector and attract investment, create jobs and boost local economic growth.