Following on from our work with the Torbay Development Agency on Station Square in Paignton and The Strand in Torquay, we are very pleased to see the initial consultation go live on another high-quality public realm enhancement scheme on Torbay Road in Paignton which forms part of the town’s Future High Street fund package.

In December 2020, we provided initial concept designs to assist the Torbay Development Agency (TDA) in securing £13.36million of Future High Streets Funding to kick-start the exciting transformation of Paignton town centre, including Torbay Road.

PJA are leading the design development of the scheme and have provided transport, highway engineering, landscape and placemaking services to the TDA. In developing the proposals, we have worked alongside community partners, Torbay Council and key stakeholders advising on options for enhancing this key street in the town.

The community led plans provide a range of benefits including the creation of a pleasant town centre space that reduces traffic, congestion and pollution, delivers a high-quality cycle link (part of the Torbay Council LCWIP) and will provide additional space and a better environment for people with wider footways, space for seating and alfresco dining, and new trees and planting. The proposals will better connect Paignton town centre with the sea front.

Three concept designs for the project are now put forward for public consideration:

Option 1: Full pedestrianisation of Torbay Road
Option 2: Partial pedestrianisation with limited access westbound along Torbay Road
Option 3: Partial pedestrianisation with one way traffic along Torbay Road

Matt McFeat, PJA Associate Director, said: “Having grown up in a Cornish seaside resort town with hotelier parents I have a good understanding of the benefits that investment and interventions like this can have in attracting visitors to the town and encouraging them to stay and to spend time and money there, whilst recognising that the scheme has to deliver benefits for people who live and work here through all seasons. It has been a pleasure to continue our work with the community and the TDA to develop a set of schemes, each of which will deliver a wide range of benefits to a wide range of people.”

Torbay residents, businesses and communities are invited to share their thoughts on which of the three options would work best during the consultation period which runs until 27th February.

Full details on the options under consideration can be found via the ‘Full or partial pedestrianisation of Torbay Road‘ webpage.

A decision on the preferred concept option will be announced in March, with PJA retained to develop a preferred design for the works, which are expected to commence from autumn 2022 and be completed by summer 2023.

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