Torbay Regeneration Partnership
Delivering coastal regeneration across Torbay
We have advised Torbay Regeneration Partnership since 2024 in respect of town centre regeneration sites across Torquay, Brixham and Paignton. Providing expert advice across all our services, we provide advice from feasibility stage to securing planning permission and delivery of sites.
We have secured planning permission for the redevelopment of Union Square Shopping Centre in Torquay for mixed-use residential development and the former Crossways Shopping Centre in Paignton for extra care living. A planning application is being prepared for the regeneration of Torquay’s harbourside, through the redevelopment of the former Debenhams store and adjoining building to provide a boutique hotel, commercial units and new focal pedestrian connections and public realm. We are also advising on proposals for Brixham Fish Harbour and the central car park and a series of brownfield residential opportunities as well as supporting masterplanning and visioning exercises across the towns.
Our role across the Torbay Regeneration Partnership is expanded in more detail below:
Union Square, Torquay
The proposed multi-million-pound redevelopment plan for Union Square includes demolishing the existing shopping centre while retaining the current multi-storey car park. The vision for the site includes the creation of new, high-quality homes, retail spaces, leisure facilities, public areas and an NHS centre.
This redevelopment promises significant economic and social benefits for Torquay and the surrounding area, including a revitalised town centre with an improved public realm. As part of the project, the grade II listed Pannier Market would be restored as a freestanding building and undergo a major refurbishment.
The Strand, Torquay
We are providing Planning and Strategic Communications services for Torbay Council’s redevelopment of the northern side of The Strand in Torquay, working in partnership with Willmott Dixon and Milligan. A planning application was submitted for the hotelled, mixed-use scheme in April 2026, marking a major milestone in Torquay’s wider Regeneration Partnership journey.
The proposals would transform this prominent harbourside location into a vibrant, year-round destination that strengthens the local economy and attracts visitors. The scheme includes a 4 to 6-storey hotel providing approximately 144–150 rooms, with active ground floor commercial, food and beverage uses to bring life back to the street.
Sustainability and ESG - UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard Pilot
Our Sustainability and ESG team supported Torbay Council’s Regeneration Partnership (Willmott Dixon and Milligan) in the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard Pilot. Launched in September 2024, the pilot gathered feedback from 205 projects across 13 sectors to refine a unified approach to net zero buildings aligned with UK climate targets. Union Square, a redevelopment of a former shopping centre into a mixed-use scheme, contributed insights at an early design stage, helping assess performance and provide feedback on usability, clarity and achievability.
Version 1 of the Standard reflects participant input, including clearer landlord-tenant delineation, practical completion validation, recognition of equivalent standards, and adjusted limits. The team will continue supporting the project’s progress and performance tracking.
