Torbay promised multimillion-pound regeneration

Councillors have said they hope to attract hundreds of millions of pounds of private investment into the Torbay area over the next 10 years as part of regeneration plans.

Torbay Council's plans to transform six areas of Torquay and Paignton are backed by some public money but will require massive private investment.

The design of a major project to demolish the Union Square shopping centre and replace it with housing, public spaces and an NHS centre has been released.

A shop owner who may be forced to move out as part of the deal said there should have been better communication about the plans.

Torbay Council formed a Regeneration Partnership in November 2023 with developers Milligan and Willmott Dixon.

At the derelict former Debenhams site on the harbourside in Torquay, the partnership wants to build about 50 new homes, cafes and restaurants and a 100-bed upmarket hotel.

Plans include demolishing the old car park at Lower Union Lane in Torquay to build between 100 and 155 new homes and knocking down the Victoria Centre car park in Paignton to build about 200 homes with a smaller shoppers' car park.

About 90 residential units as part of a care home are planned for the Crossways site in Paignton, with a similar scheme planned for Torre Marina in Torquay.

At the Union Square site a new NHS treatment centre would be created and the multi-story car park would remain, as would the Pannier Market, which is a listed building.

David Thomas, Conservative leader of Torbay Council, said the council would put in £11m of Town Deal funding from central government and would hope to attract private investment of £50-£60m.

He said the council had wanted to make the area around Union Square "more residential" for a long time.

"This is that big piece that's required to put a stake in the ground," he said.

"From Union Square up to Castle Circus, it will be residential with businesses and shops further down from the Strand up to Union Square."

Stuart Harris, chief executive of Milligan, said: "If we were to develop all six sites over the next 10 years we would deliver more than 700 homes."

Mr Harris said the partnership was trying to find long-term investors such as pension funds interested in "sizeable investments".

The council owns the Union Square site, which has several empty shops, but is still home to a Greggs and a toy shop, The Entertainer.

Stephen Holgate owns the Pannier Market next to Union Square and said he was speaking with the council about the possible sale of the building.

He started working at the market for his father as a teenager in 1969 as a "Saturday boy".

He said: "I think it's a brilliant idea - everybody knows Torquay town centre at the moment is finding it very difficult and anything that brings new life into the town is great."

The council's cabinet has agreed in principle the idea of Compulsory Purchase Orders for surrounding properties where a deal cannot be agreed.

Luke Cook, the owner of Nexus Games on Union Street, leases one of the properties that would be demolished under the plans.

Mr Cook said he had been "left in the dark" regarding the council's plans for the area.

"We definitely need rejuvenation in this part of town but there hasn't been a lot of communication from the council with the existing businesses around here which is disappointing to say the least," he said.

Torbay Council said it hoped to bring a planning application for the Union Square site forward in 2025 with the hope work could begin in 2026.

It said planning permission would be needed for work on the former Debenhams building and no demolition work was expected to take place before autumn 2025.

Demolition work on the Victoria Centre was expected to start in "early 2025", the authority said.

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