Council pauses town centre revamp

Plans to redevelop Station Square have been put on hold

Plans to overhaul a town centre have been paused as a council races to protect millions in government regeneration funding.

Torbay Council has redirected money from the Station Square scheme in Paignton to the Crossways redevelopment project, as it feared the funds could be reclaimed by the government if not spent in time.

Torbay Council received more than £13m from the government's Future High Streets fund nearly five years ago, earmarked for Station Square, the Victoria Centre, and the former Crossways shopping centre.

With the Station Square timeline now uncertain, the council has sought permission to reallocate funds to Crossways, where work could begin by mid-2026.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said a major flood defence scheme on Paignton's seafront is also scheduled to start soon.

In a statement, the Conservative-led council said: "Our top priority is to ensure that any grant funding we receive to support town centre regeneration is fully spent - so we don't risk losing it."

Councillor Chris Lewis, cabinet member for development and economic growth, added: "Pausing the public realm works for now wasn't an easy decision, but due to funding restrictions and other planned works, an alternative option had to be found."

The Station Square project will now be part of a broader plan to create a new transport hub around Paignton's railway and bus stations, with more details expected early in 2026.

Despite the setback, the council insisted its commitment to Paignton remained "100%".