Torbay’s first hotel-to-homes project completes, marking new chapter for local housing

I’m really pleased to share that the first of our Hotels to Homes projects is now complete and will be ready for local people to move into before Christmas.

This has been months of hard work from our housing delivery team, and it marks an important moment for Torbay.

We have worked with a local contractor, Armada Property (UK) Ltd, to transform the former Brampton Court Hotel on St Luke’s Road South, Torquay, into 14 modern apartments. They are now putting the final touches in place so our first tenants, all households with a key worker in the NHS, can move in shortly. 

These homes will be energy-efficient, sustainable and let at a social rent, supporting the recruitment of vital staff into our local health services. 

A second scheme is already in the pipeline at the former Seabury Hotel on Manor Road, which also has permission for 14 homes.

Brampton House is our first Hotels to Homes scheme, and the first new council housing directly delivered by Torbay Council in a generation. By reusing brownfield sites like this we protect our precious green spaces and help regenerate our town centres. It shows what we can achieve when we think creatively and act quickly.

When I was a child, housing felt very different. Waiting lists were shorter, homes were more affordable and there was a stronger sense of security for families.

Somewhere over the years that changed, and for too many people today a safe and permanent home feels out of reach. That’s why projects like this matter; they help us get back to a place where people can feel settled, secure and part of a local community.

A good home should never be a luxury, it should be the foundation on which people build their lives.

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And this is only one step in our wider work to increase affordable housing across the Bay. In Brixham, we are building 23 apartments for the over-55’s at the St Kilda site. This will free up larger homes for families and help create movement within the housing system. 

We are also providing more social housing for vulnerable young adults and for families currently living in temporary accommodation, giving them safe and long-term options rather than short-term solutions. 

Looking ahead, we are planning extra-care homes for people who have mobility needs, alongside more general homes for families with children.

This Hotels to Homes programme is a clear example of what can be achieved when we put people at the heart of decision-making. Residents have told us that affordable housing is one of their biggest concerns, and rightly so. By using space more intelligently, by bringing life back to forgotten buildings, and by thinking locally, we are starting to make a real difference.

We still have much more to do, but the direction is set: practical solutions, genuine affordable housing and thriving communities. One building at a time, we are turning empty hotels into real homes - and giving local people the security they deserve.

16 Days of Action – and a New Way to Stay Safe in Torbay

This week marks the start of 16 Days of Action, a national campaign that shines a light on gender-based violence and domestic abuse. It’s a stark reminder that everyone, especially women and girls, should feel safe when they are out and about in our town centres. Sadly, we know that isn’t always the case.

Earlier this year, Safer Torbay carried out a survey about how safe people felt when using public transport. The results were worrying. Almost half of respondents said they felt unsafe after dark, and the feeling was strongest among women, young people and disabled residents. Just as concerning was that only a third of those who witnessed or experienced crime went on to report it.

Torbay is generally a safe place to live, work and visit – but feeling safe matters just as much as being safe. Everyone should be able to enjoy their evening, travel home without worry and get out and about with confidence. That’s why we are taking action.

We have now partnered with the Travel Guardian smartphone app to give the public a practical and easy way to report anti-social behaviour and stay safe when travelling. The app includes Torbay-specific information such as the nearest taxi ranks, bus stops, safe spaces and even defibrillators – genuinely helpful for anyone having a night out.

It also includes clear ways to report incidents, links to support organisations, real-time alerts, and a geo-location feature so that users can share their journey with a friend or family member. In short, it helps put people back in control when they’re travelling.

You can find full details and download instructions on the Safer Torbay pages of the Council website – just search for Travel Guardian.

The message of the 16 Days of Action is simple: no one should ever feel unsafe when they step outside their front door. If we can give residents the tools to stay safe, feel safe and speak up when something isn’t right – that has to be a step in the right direction.