Every week Kevin publishes his very own "Kev’s Column" online, this week he looks at the current situation with the Torwood Street development:
The sight of derelict and boarded up buildings on Torwood Street, only a stone’s throw from Torquay Harbourside, is one of the most unwelcome sights in the bay.
The latest plans for redevelopment of this part of Torwood Street were before the Council’s Development Management Committee recently and were deferred following comments from English Heritage. I know some will lament the loss of the older buildings that are now derelict or want to keep altering each aspect of this development, yet something practical has to be agreed if the wider area is to be revived.
The best part of the latest plans is that they include provision for modern office accommodation. Getting year round employment into our town centres is key to sustaining local shops and giving the next generation opportunities to stay in the bay. Some will point to already empty offices in Torquay Town Centre, but many of them date from the 60’s or 70’s and do not meet the standards many businesses now look for, and which other locations offer.
The key is getting something starting to happen on the ground, hence my disappointment at the further deferral. The same goes for the recently unveiled Town Centre Masterplans. Great to see the ideas, with some real improvements included for local residents plus visitors in both Paignton and Torquay. Yet what is needed is for some of them to happen to give investors and us all, confidence that a real change is coming on the back of them.