Flush with opportunity? Torbay Council puts 15 unusual sites up for sale

For sale - five public toilets (slightly used), a graffiti-covered beach cafe, a derelict schoolroom and a disused former icehouse.

These are just some of the 15 Torbay Council ‘assets’ which could be put up for sale as the council tries to save money.

They are on a list compiled for a meeting of the council’s cabinet committee next week (December 16)

In a report to the meeting officers say they are ‘surplus assets’, defined as being ‘those assets that have been declared surplus to our commercial and/or operational requirement’.

The report goes on: “Often these assets are close to or beyond useful economic life and should be considered for disposal to release the value so the capital can be re-invested elsewhere across the estate.”

Some are being considered for auction while others could be sold by tender.

The report goes on to say: “The proposal will help deliver our vision of a healthy, happy and prosperous Torbay by reducing the level of surplus assets held by the council.”

The costs of keeping the buildings include repairing and maintaining them as well as visiting them regularly. Security and insurance are also among the costs.

Many of the ‘assets’ have been empty and unused for a long time, and disposing of them will cut costs immediately.

The aim is for new owners to pay the council a sum which can go towards the repair and maintenance of other buildings. The new owners can then bring their purchases back into use.

The report adds: “We recognise the detrimental impact of holding assets empty for prolonged periods of time and how this can generate anti-social behaviour and negative social impact.”

The list is:

Torwood Gardens Shelter – for auction

Torwood Gardens Old Block former toilets – for auction

Watcombe Beach redundant toilets – auction for joint freehold with Watcombe Beach redundant cafe

Land at Borough Road, Paignton – for auction

Palace Avenue public toilets, Paignton – for auction

Land at Pendennis Road, Torquay – for auction

Old Barn, Torre Marine, Torquay – for informal tender

Polsham Centre, Paignton – for informal tender/auction

Mount Pleasant former Cadet site, Brixham – for informal tender/auction

Disused former icehouse, Wellswood, Torquay – for informal tender/auction

Broadsands redundant toilets – for informal tender/auction

Land (play area) at Salisbury Avenue, Torquay – for sale by private treaty

Land adjacent to 14 Whitstone Road, Paignton – for informal tender

Redundant toilets at Reddenhill Road, Torquay – for sale by private treaty/auction