The first residents have received the keys to their new homes at the former St Kilda's care home site in Brixham, marking a major milestone in the delivery of much-needed affordable housing for local people.

The £5.3 million development has transformed the former St Kilda care home site into 23 high-quality affordable apartments for local people aged 55 and over. Importantly, these are the first new social rented homes built directly by Torbay Council for older residents in several years.

On Monday 19 October, residents began moving into their new homes, bringing new life back to a site that has stood empty since 2016. Many of the new residents have strong local connections to Brixham, enabling them to remain in the community they know, close to family, friends and local support networks.

Over the past two years, local people have watched the former care home site take on a new lease of life. The development provides a mix of 15 one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom apartments, helping to meet the growing demand for affordable housing for older residents in Torbay. Designed to support independent living, the modern, energy-efficient homes are affordable to run and have been carefully planned to help residents live independently for longer.

St Kilda also includes cycle storage, parking (including both accessible parking bays and EV charging points), creating an accessible and sustainable environment for tenants.

For the residents who received their keys on Monday, it marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter and the chance to become part of a new community in the heart of Brixham.

Cllr Alan Tyerman, Torbay Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, said:

“The completion of St. Kilda marks a proud milestone for Torbay. The development provides much-needed affordable homes for local people aged over 55 and represents the first social rented housing delivered by Torbay Council for older residents in a number of years.

"We have transformed a site that stood empty for almost a decade into high-quality homes that local people can be proud of. Most importantly, residents can now begin moving in and enjoy the security and stability that an affordable home provides.

"We wish all of our new residents a very warm welcome and look forward to seeing this new community flourish in the years ahead.”

Chris Herron, Contracts Manager at Classic Builders said:

“Classic Builders is delighted to see St Kilda transformed into high-quality new homes for local people. challenges on this site included a complex demolition, removal of a considerable amount of asbestos & dealing with environmental protections for sites of this type, but this makes this achievement all the more rewarding.

"We’re grateful for the support of neighbouring residents and businesses, and proud to see the first residents receiving their keys and beginning this exciting new chapter.”

The development was delivered by Torbay Council in partnership with Classic Builders and forms part of the council's wider programme to increase the supply of affordable housing across Torbay, bringing empty buildings back into the community.

Funding for the project has come from Homes England, the government's Brownfield Land Release Fund - and considerable borrowing and investment direct by Torbay Council.

As residents continue to move into their new homes over the coming days, St Kilda is entering an exciting new phase, creating a thriving community and transforming a long-vacant site into a place people are proud to call home.