Demolition of the main buildings at the former St Kilda care home in Brixham is due to start soon following the safe removal of asbestos from the site.

A team from specialist contractor Gwella is now in the final stages of the eight-week project to 'clean' the site ahead of the structures coming down.

The 1970s-built accommodation behind Drew Street was completely sealed to prevent hazardous material escaping into the air.

The next phase of work will see contractor Demolition South West move heavy machinery onto the site in the week starting on Monday 21 October.

Removal of the buildings is expected to take around eight weeks. The adjoining 19th Century listed villa fronting onto Drew Street will be retained.

Ground works will then begin followed by construction, with an estimated completion date in Spring 2026.

The £5.7million project is being delivered by Torbay Council, and is part-funded by a grant from Homes England to deliver the homes for social rent.

It involves replacing the former care home with 23 attractive and high quality one and two-bedroom new-build flats.

The homes will be available at social rented levels to households aged 55 and over. Priority will go to those with a local connection to Brixham.

The aim is to encourage local households to downsize and move into the new flats. This will free up larger social housing properties in the area for families on the local Home Choice waiting list.

The new three-storey building will be built to high standards of sustainability and will be in keeping with the Conservation Area and the adjacent listed building.

It will include communal space, lifts and parking in an attractive carefully landscaped setting.

Cllr Alan Tyerman, Torbay Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Finance, said: “I’m delighted that this important project has reached a significant milestone.

“We are grateful for the hard work of everyone to get us to where we are now. I look forward to seeing the new building start to go up once the old structures have been safely removed.

“The new apartments will provide much-needed social housing for older local people as part of our response to the housing crisis in Torbay.

“I’m sure the building will be a real asset for the local community.” 

Chris Herron, Contracts Manager for the overall contractor Classic Builders (South West) Ltd, said: “We would like to thank people in the area for their patience and understanding as work progresses.

“We aim to start ground works just before Christmas, followed by main construction starting in the New Year.

“As a business based in the region, we are proud to be involved in delivering new homes which will make a real difference to the lives of local people.”

Sam Irving, Head of Strategic Housing and Delivery at Torbay Council, added: "This is an exciting scheme for us. 

"Redeveloping the St Kilda site allows us to provide much-needed social housing and is the first 'council housing' scheme directly built by Torbay Council in a generation."

The former care home has been empty since the facility closed in 2016.

The Council is using Devon-based firm Taylor Lewis to manage the contract delivery on its behalf.

Anyone who wants to apply for a place in the new St Kilda development should follow the process through Devon Home Choice (www.devonhomechoice.com).

What the new homes at the St Kilda site will look like. Credit: KTA Architects