Council to use high street funds for housing

Torbay Council will use money previously earmarked for Paignton's high street to build extra-care housing scheme in the town

A south Devon council will use money previously allocated to improve the local high street to speed up construction of supported housing.

Torbay Council said it had received government approval to use money previously earmarked for Paignton's high street to support the delivery of an extra-care housing scheme in the town.

The decision followed a delay to the town centre improvements to replace a gas pipe, which risked the money "not being spent within the required timeframe", officials said.

Councillor Chris Lewis said "pausing the public realm works for now wasn't an easy decision" but meant the council could "avoid losing the funding".

The council said the move would support the "accelerated delivery" about 90 extra-care homes and a day centre at the former Crossways Shopping Centre site in the town centre.

It said it was still "100% committed" to the town centre regeneration.

Other parts of the town centre redevelopment were "under way" including the restoration of Europe's oldest cinema, Paignton Picture House, which should reopen in 2026, the council said.