Between Thursday 1 and Friday 30 June 2023, we invite you to view the proposed ideas for Oldway Mansion and Grounds and share your views on the ideas.

After securing almost £150,000 of National Lottery Heritage Funding, matched with a funding contribution of £87,500 from us, the expert team of consultants appointed to deliver the ‘Developing a resilient future for Oldway’ project is keen to listen to residents’ feedback on the proposals.

Since the start of the year the project team has been engaging with a range of community stakeholders about their ideas to develop a shared, sustainable, and viable plan for the Oldway site.

The overall vision set out in the proposals is to create a ‘community-focused, health, wellbeing and creative hub within the historic setting of Oldway’.

The future vision builds on work undertaken in 2018 and 2020 which produced an options appraisal and Torbay Heritage Strategy 2021-2026, both which started to look at financially viable ways to repair and restore Oldway and ultimately bring the Mansion and wider estate back into use.

As well as seeking views on the proposals, the project team also want to understand how the space is currently used and what things are important and need to be considered in any final plans.

The emerging idea for the site focuses on ensuring that it remains a publicly accessible historical asset and open space, with a sustainable future.

There are three ways to get involved and share your thoughts on the proposals.

• Online – view the proposals and background information and complete the online questionnaire on our website. You have until midnight on Friday 30 June 2023 to take part.
• Paper copies of the proposals and the consultation questionnaire will be available in Oldway’s Team Rooms from Monday 5 June. Completed questionnaires need to be returned to the Tea Rooms by Friday 30 June 2023. (Paper copies are only for people who cannot access the online survey).
• Come and see the project team and the proposals at the English Riviera Airshow event village on Paignton Green on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 June, or in the grounds of Oldway on Saturday 17 June between 11am and 3pm.

Everyone in the community is invited to view and comment on the proposals, young people and families are particularly encouraged to have their say. The face-to-face consultation event taking place on Saturday 17 June is aimed at families, with a local creative event company hosting some free engaging play events and activities to understand how future generations see themselves interacting with and being part of Oldway’s future. 

Cllr Chris Lewis Cabinet Member for Place Services and Economic Growth for Torbay Council said, “We know that Oldway is a much-loved community asset that needs a new lease of life. The purpose of this stage of the ‘Developing a Resilient Future for Oldway’ project is to understand how the community feels about the proposed ideas and what options may need to be considered in the future.

“As building costs continue to increase the Council will, alongside the consultation, review the costs involved in a full restoration project and the options available to us to fund and deliver such an important community project.”

Once the consultation closes the project team will review the feedback and views on the proposals and present the findings back to the council. The outcome of the consultation will be shared with the community in due course.

Full information on the proposals including the online questionnaire can be found via: www.torbay.gov.uk/oldway-consultation please note this page will not be live until 10am on Thursday 1 June.

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