Activity centre may open up to all young people

In 2021 Torbay Council spent £600,000 adapting the building for the Medical Tuition Service

A £6m youth centre used by students with medical needs may open its doors to all young people in the area.

New Parkfield, in Paignton, was built in 2011 with National Lottery funding as a hub for youth services, housing a BMX-bike track, sports hall, climbing wall, recording studio, cafe and skate park.

Three years ago the Medical Tuition Service (MTS) began using the centre for its students who cannot attend other schools due to their medical needs.

A new survey on Torbay Council's website asks for the public's views on local youth groups using the centre during evenings and weekends when the MTS pupils and staff have vacated the centre, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reports.

'Failed miserably'

In 2021, MTS took a 25-year lease at a nominal rent from Torbay Council which spent £600,000 adapting the building for it to use.

Today the BMX track at New Parkland needs tens of thousands of pounds of repairs, the skate park has no toilets and the other facilities are barely used, the LDRS was told.

Pressure group Action For Paignton said the building should be available for the whole community to use every day of the week as an activity and social centre.

A spokesman said New Parkfield had "failed miserably" to deliver what it promised at the time of applying for the lottery grant.

'Vibrant community feel'

The survey on the council’s website said the covenant for the Parkfield building stated it must be used primarily for youth activities.

The council said its plans means it will be used "to provide maximum benefit for children and young people in Torbay through a vibrant and active use of the site at all times".

The council’s statement continued: “We want to ensure that this facility has a vibrant community feel and as part of the consultation we will seek views on how we can enable this to occur outside of school hours, including evenings, weekends and holiday periods.”