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Victoria Centre

Find out more about the work we are doing to regenerate the Victoria Centre in Paignton.

Updated 1 November 2024

The Victoria Centre is in the heart of Paignton. It is the largest and most comprehensive redevelopment opportunity in the town centre.

The site was identified for redevelopment and improvement in the Paignton Town Centre Masterplan (2015) and formed part of our successful Future High Streets Fund bid.

We have already started to unlock this site for redevelopment by demolishing the former Garfield Road car park.

We are working with our Regeneration Partners, Willmott Dixon and Milligan to bring forward a scheme that will:

  • Provide around 200 new homes
  • Rejuvenate the area
  • Attract businesses back into the town

A preferred option that we would want to take forward to the planning stage will be shared with you in due course. As part of the statutory planning process, you will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals.

In early 2025 we will start demolition work. We will begin by demolishing Victoria multi-storey car park; the rest of the site will be demolished in controlled phases throughout 2025. The site will be temporarily returned to a surface level car park whilst work to secure planning, and an investor / developer continues.

Victoria multi-storey car park will remain open and accessible until further notice.

How we are re-providing parking

A new temporary surface level car park on Hyde Road at the former Crossways Shopping Centre site is being created. The car park will have up to 150 pay and display spaces available 24-hours a day, with provision for blue badge holders and motorcycles. This car park will be open and operational before we close Victoria multi-storey car park.

We are working up options for additional car parking facilities in and around the immediate town centre during the demolition period to ensure parking capacity is maintained. These options could see over 100 further temporary car parking spaces being available in phases as more and more of the Victoria Centre land is released.

Paignton has over existing 300 spaces in pay and display car parks around the town centre that will be unaffected by the works, this is in addition o on street pay and display parking.

Find a parking location in Paignton

Why we are demolishing the Victoria Centre

The demolition works will prepare the site for a new chapter in Paignton’s history as we move forward with community led plans to provide much needed housing for local people, rejuvenate the area and attract businesses back into the town.

The Victoria Centre was identified for redevelopment and improvement in the Paignton Town Centre Masterplan (adopted in June 2015). It also formed part of our successful Future High Streets Fund bid that saw £13.36million of government funding for Paignton.

What will happen once the Victoria Centre is demolished

One all demolition works are completed, we intend to return the entire Victoria Centre site to a surface level car park, offering around 500 car parking spaces. The spaces will be release sequentially allowing for phased demolition works. We will work closely with the contractor to ensure sufficient spaces are available in time for summer 2025 (together with other town centre parking options being explored by us).

The area will remain as a car park until work starts to redevelop the entire site into a mixed-use scheme.

Victoria Centre redevelopment options are currently being considered with Council Leaders and our Regeneration Partners, Willmott Dixon and Milligan. Re-development work is not expected to start until planning consent has been obtained for an agreed preferred option and a delivery partner and investor has been secured.

Longer-term parking provision in Paignton forms part of our wider town centre strategy work which is underway with our Regeneration Partners.

Why demolish the site if redevelopment work isn’t starting straight away

Cleared sites with planning permission are more attractive to potential delivery partners and investors.

By having the site ready to build on, work can start much sooner.

We have been working on securing a delivery partner and investor for this site and other sites around Torbay. We hope to have more information to share with you in early 2025.  

I have a parking permit

Detail including how the closure of Victoria multi-storey car park will impact permit holders is being considered. Those impacted will be contacted directly by us.

What to tell your customers

Victoria multi-storey car park will remain open and accessible until a closure date has been confirmed.

We encourage business owners to start making themselves familiar with other Paignton town centre parking locations so they can let their customers know.

Parking locations available in the town centre that will not be impacted by the redevelopment works are:

Pay and display car parks

  • Crown and Anchor (76 spaces, open 24 hours a day)
  • Great Western (70 spaces, open 24 hours a day)
  • Roundham (100 spaces, open 8am until 10pm)
  • Station Lane (73 spaces, open 24 hours)

On street pay and display parking

  • Adelphi Road
  • Dendy Road
  • Eastern Esplanade (until Paignton and Preston Promenade project starts)
  • Hyde Road
  • Marine Drive (until Paignton and Preston Promenade project starts)
  • Palace Avenue
  • Queens Road
  • Sands Road
  • Steartfield Road
  • Torbay Road
  • Torquay Road
Full details can be found on our find a car park page

How we will let people know about the changes to parking

We issued a press release on 18 September to let people know that changes would be happening this autumn.

We will keep issuing updates as and when new information becomes available.

We will make sure that there is clear signage on the highway to let motorists know where to park. We will also run a public awareness campaign about where to find parking in Paignton.

Project benefits

Redevelopment of the Victoria Centre will significantly contribute to transforming the town. It will create lasting economic and social-economic benefits for the whole of Paignton and wider Torbay economy. It will help to:

  • rebase and uplift land values in Paignton town centre
  • create conditions for further private sector investment
  • drive footfall and spend in the town centre
  • support other investment opportunities in the town centre
  • improve business vitality and viability
  • improve safety and help reduce crime in the town centre

Organisations working on the project

  • Torbay Council
  • Willmott Dixon
  • Milligan

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