On Saturday 14 June, a newly created surface level car park at the Victoria Centre site opens, offering over 200 spaces. The car park is fully accessible and conveniently located within a short walking distance from the town centre and seafront area.
The car park will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing flexible parking options for residents, shoppers, and visitors. Height restrictions to the car park do apply. Twelve spaces are dedicated for blue badge holders, plus space for motorcycles and an area designated for permit holders.
Torbay Council will be pausing demolition of the remaining buildings and structures on the site until it has secured full vacant possession of all units; safety hoarding remains in place to ensure the safety of all car park users. To provide a welcoming environment and a positive first and last impression for those using the car park, a local artist was commissioned to create a vibrant mural along more than 50 metres of safety hoarding.
Due to health and safety concerns related to the remaining structure, the section of footpath that runs parallel along the railway line from Victoria Square to the car park will remain closed. However, a section of the footpath will remain open providing access from the car park to Victoria Park. Pedestrians can also access Victoria Square from the car park via Garfield Road or Torbay Road, or by walking through Victoria Park onto Hyde Road.
Future demolition phases will provide options for providing more parking spaces to be added to the site, while in the meantime the council works on longer-term redevelopment plans with its regeneration partners, Willmott Dixon and Milligan. Additionally, efforts are ongoing to bring forward a solution for a new multi-storey car park facility in the town centre.
Cllr Chris Lewis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth at Torbay Council, said; “We have created and opened in time for the main holiday season a new temporary car park in Paignton town centre. On the former multi-storey car park site, the surface level car park is more accessible and inviting.
“As we move forward with our redevelopment and improvement plans for Paignton, we know that maintaining adequate parking levels in the town centre is a priority. Council officers are working on bringing forward a long-term parking solution, ensuring it is delivered before closing any of the temporary car parks.”
Torbay Council would like to remind the community that safety fencing and hoarding remains around the site. It is there to protect the public and should not be tampered with in any way. Empty structures are dangerous places and are regularly monitored by local security teams, including CCTV and the police. If anyone sees anyone breaching or damaging the site safety measures, they should report it directly to the police.
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