This autumn Torbay Council is introducing a new temporary car park in Paignton town centre ahead of major improvement and regeneration schemes starting.  

As the Council starts to bring forward a range of exciting transformational schemes, it wants to ensure that visitors to Paignton can continue to easily access parking in the town centre.  

In the autumn, the Council will be opening a temporary surface level pay and display car park at the former Crossways Shopping Centre on Hyde Road. The car park will be open 24-hours a day, providing approximately 100 car parking spaces, including signed spaces for blue badge holders, plus dedicated spaces for motorcycles.  

Renamed ‘Hyde Road Long Stay Car Park’, motorists will be able to enter and exit the car park from Hyde Road. Pedestrian access points will be available on Hyde Road and Torquay Road.  

The temporary car park could be in place for up to two years. It is the first of several temporary car parking solutions being considered by Council officers as development construction projects are projected to start from late 2024. Details of other car parking sites are not yet available and are being assessed on their viability and accessibility. Information will be made public in due course.  

In 2020, Torbay Council secured planning permission to deliver around 90 extra care and sheltered housing units in the former Crossways Shopping Centre site. Since planning permission was granted, the scheme that the Council was hoping to deliver has become unviable due to considerable inflationary pressures that have been ongoing nationally since 2020/2021.  

Torbay Council is working with its Regeneration Partners, Willmott Dixon and Milligan, to bring forward a revised option for the site. Along with several other developments across Torbay, Torbay Council will be seeking an investor and developer over the next six months to deliver these schemes. Once we have secured these, we will then be able to confirm likely start dates for construction.  

The longer-term plan for the Crossways site is still to provide much needed housing for local people, rejuvenate the area and attract businesses back into the town. 

Paignton town centre is also very accessible by public transport with a bus hub and train station in the centre of town.  

Cllr Chris Lewis, Deputy Leader of Torbay Council and Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth, said; “Providing temporary parking facilities in Paignton town centre is a critical first step in Paignton’s regeneration programme. It is essential that ahead of any physical works starting, parking mitigation measures are put in place to provide reassurance to our residents, businesses and visitors that Paignton town centre will remain open and accessible.  

“This is an exciting time for Paignton as key sites and areas start to come forward for redevelopment and improvement. Work is underway internally to bring other temporary parking sites forward to ensure that parking capacity is maintained over the next few years.” 

Residents can stay up to date with this project and other projects happening in Paignton by signing up to the Paignton Projects newsletter. https://www.torbay.gov.uk/onetorbay  

Further details on the opening of Hyde Road Long Stay Car Park will be available next month.