Plans lodged for new Torquay railway station

The proposed Edginswell Station at Torquay

Network Rail has filed an official planning application for a new railway station near Torquay.

The station at Edginswell, designed to serve Torbay Hospital as well as a new development on the edge of the town, has been on the bay's wishlist for decades.

The council said Edginswell was the ideal place for a new railway station as the "gateway" to Torbay.

However, there are concerns over how the station would be funded.

In 2021, it was announced the cost of building the station would be £13.1m.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said £3m would come from the government's Town Deal funds.

The idea is that this will be matched with money from the council, developers and Network Rail, LDRS said.

'Across the line'

Torbay Council deputy leader Chris Lewis (Conservative) said at a meeting last month the scheme was not progressing as planned and could prove costly.

"We thought it was a scheme that was ready to go, but we have now found out that it is not," he said.

"We have got to find £10m.

"We are going to the government, we are going to Network Rail, and we hope to be able to get it across the line."

Construction had been due to start this summer, with the station open and running by the end of 2024.

According to Network Rail's application, it is applying for permission to build a new railway station with pedestrian access from Newton Road and Riviera Way.

The plans would include a fully-accessible footbridge with a lift and elevated walkway. There would be a waiting shelter, lighting, CCTV and cycle parking.