Castle Circus and Harbourside Improvement Programme

We’re working with partners on a range of projects which focus on delivering a high-quality, welcoming and vibrant town centre and harbourside in Torquay, where all communities can feel safe and where businesses can thrive.

We know some issues must be tackled quickly and that some of the challenges impacting people living and working in the area require a different approach to deliver meaningful and lasting change, and we are taking action to do that.  Improvements are ongoing and involve several individual programmes – these include:

• The transfer of the homeless hostel (based at the Leonard Stocks Centre) to an in-house service provided by Torbay Council.
• Expanding and enhancing the provision of substance misuse and ASB support in Castle Circus and the surrounding area, including within the hostel.
• Improvements to the ‘look and feel’ of Castle Circus and the surrounding area, through street scene upgrades.
• Tackling violence against women and girls and making the streets safer for all.
• Connecting operational activity delivered by agencies working in the Castle Circus and Harbourside areas to address emerging or acute challenges.
• Undertaking a place-based approach to the development of the Castle Circus and town centre area by changing the mix of services and facilities available to provide long-term sustainable change.

The work is overseen by a programme group which meets regularly to drive activity to ensure improvements are delivered. The group is made up of senior officers from Torbay Council, representatives from Devon and Cornwall Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and colleagues working in health.

The Health and Wellbeing Board, Torbay Place Leadership Board and Torbay Drug and Alcohol Partnership are given updates and consider how works fit in with other local programmes of activity.

We’ll be regularly updating these pages with more information about individual projects.