Torbay Council is working with a Devon-based developer on its first Hotels to Homes scheme, an exciting new project to convert former hotels into high quality social housing for local households.
It is part of a strategy to tackle the local housing crisis and will see the Council delivering the first ‘council housing’ directly in Torbay for a generation.
Hotels to Homes is designed to increase the delivery of social housing by re-purposing small, prominent and under-used brownfield sites in the Bay.
Torbay Council has led the way on creating and implementing the scheme, believed to be the first of its kind in England to specifically convert former hotel accommodation for this purpose.
The innovative project will help to prove that such sites have an important role to play in meeting local need, as well as contributing to the regeneration of Torbay.
The first scheme will see the former Brampton Court Hotel on St Luke’s Road South in Torquay re-purposed into 14-modern, energy efficient and sustainable homes of one and two bedrooms, subject to planning permission.
It is being carried out by a specialist local development firm, with the Council taking ownership at completion. Homes would then be let to local households through Devon Home Choice.
The Council’s ambition is to prove that re-purposing former hotel accommodation in this way can contribute to the growth needed in Torbay. It aims to deliver a number of similar brownfield redevelopments like this over the coming years.
Work is currently underway to identify the second and subsequent sites for the programme.
The project is supported by a £3million UK Government grant. Further investment from the Devon and Torbay Devolution Deal will fund the second project, along with investment by the Council directly.
Delivery of affordable homes in Torbay has fallen in recent years while the number of households in housing need has risen.
Meanwhile the tourism industry has changed, and the Bay now has a number of disused hotels, guesthouses and bed and breakfasts. Hotel to Homes is designed to redevelop carefully selected buildings of this type into much-needed new housing.
Repurposing disused brownfield sites in this way stops them becoming derelict and attracting anti-social behaviour. It also supports neighbourhood regeneration and renewal.
Cllr Alan Tyerman, Cabinet Member for Housing and Finance, said: “We are focussed on finding new and innovative ways to deliver more social homes for rent to tackle the shortage of available properties.
“It is a key priority of our Housing Strategy and Housing Delivery Plan to ensure there will be more good quality, affordable properties that people can call home.
“At Brampton Court, the Council’s specialist social housing delivery team has worked with our development and funding partners to identify and secure a project that can deliver 14 much-needed homes for local households for social rent and create a model that we can replicate throughout Torbay.
“The developer will be carrying out the conversion works and the Council has agreed to purchase the homes when they are complete, subject to planning consent being granted.
“It means we are able to move quickly to make these homes available at social rents to local people in housing need, in an innovative partnership between the public and private sectors.
“This will help people find the security of a decent home, attract keyworkers to our overstretched public services and help the community thrive.
“I would like to thank all those that have worked so hard over recent months to make this ambition a reality and I look forward to welcoming the new residents into their homes later in 2025.”
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