Earlier this month a number of Torbay councillors and officers met with members from Brixham Town Council and Brixham Chamber of Commerce.
The reason for the visit was to share the emerging design proposals that they have been working on with Regeneration Partners – Wilmott Dixon and Milligan – to improve Brixham for everyone who uses the town, whether that be for business or pleasure.
The two large projects include the expansion of the commercial port on Oxen Cove and the options to significantly increase the current capacity of central car park.
The first project that was shared at the meeting was the Brixham Port Infrastructure Project. This is looking at providing 2,550sqm of new space for the fishing industry.
The expansion of the port would create around 40 new fishing related jobs and will be funded by £9.791 million of government funding which has already been secured.
At the moment, the timeline looks like the planning application will be submitted in October this year, with the hope of starting on site a year later in the Autumn of 2026. The plan is for the project to be completed in the Spring of 2027.
Three options were shared with those that attended the meeting. All of the options looked at making the most of the usable space and how the buildings would fit into the surrounding area.
The second project shared was about improving Brixham Town Centre car park.
As some of you will know, the original multi-storey car park was constructed in the early 1960s and it suffered a lot of deterioration because of the marine weathering it received. This led to significant corrosion of the steel frame and despite several phases of structural repair, it was demolished in 2005.
Again, three options were shared with those that attended the meeting. The options ranged from providing around 320 spaces to just over 510 spaces. Currently the car park has 163 spaces, so even the first option would double what is already there.
The options also looked at including toilets, a Tourist Information space and how the car park can be better linked to Middle Street and Fore Street. The plans also show how the area can be made more welcoming for those visiting Brixham and for those of us who like to visit the town.
The plan at the moment is for the planning application for this site is to be submitted in February next year, with starting on site in the Spring of 2027. It will take a year to complete the project.
The proposals were warmly received by all those that were there. It was agreed to meet again in early September this year to look at the further development of the designs.
The council will then work up a preferred option for each site and this is when you will be able to have your say on the plans and the designs. Once the proposals are ready to share I will let you know here.
Torbay Council, working with its Regeneration Partners – Willmott Dixon and Milligan are working on proposals to develop plans for two major sites within Brixham.
Brixham Port Infrastructure Project
This project will look to provide 2,550sqm of new space for the fishing industry.
The expansion of the port would create around 40 new fishing related jobs.
£9.791 million of government funding has been secured for the project.
Detailed proposals will be made public later in the spring with opportunities being available for the community to comment on the proposals as part of the statutory planning process.
The original multi-storey car park was constructed in the early 1960s, the car park suffered deterioration because of marine weathering, leading to significant corrosion of the steel frame. Despite several phases of structural repair, ongoing deterioration continued to occur resulting in the demolition of the car park in 2005.
Over recent years scheme proposals have been considered, including providing homes at the site.
Financially viable options are currently being explored for the site.
It is anticipated that options will be presented to the community later this year.
More information
Each project coming forward has been developed in line with community led plans, including the Local Plan, Brixham, Town Centre Master Plan, Brixham Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan Policy Document and Torbay’s Heritage Strategy.
We have launched a consultation on the Brixham Town Conservation Area, as part of the wider Torbay Heritage Strategy.
Brixham is the first area we will be consulting with, thanks to a major new partnership with National Lottery Heritage Fund’s ‘Heritage Places’ scheme. The Council recently entered into the new 10-year partnership with the Heritage Fund to support heritage within the Bay and to deliver the aims of the Torbay Heritage Strategy which includes the updating of our existing conservation area appraisals, specifically those related to the Brixham Town, Paignton Old Town and Torquay Harbour Conservation Areas.
As a council we are committed to protecting and celebrating our local heritage and this work will also complement a range of other projects currently taking place in the Bay, such as the Public Realm works in Torquay and Paignton and investment in Brixham Harbour, as well as the Torbay Heritage Strategy 2021-2026 .
Councils are required to undertake and publish assessments of conservation areas, known as appraisals, from time to time and consult with the public on the proposed changes.
Boundary changes are proposed in some areas of the conservation area to account for unmanaged incremental changes which have, over time, diluted the character of an area; or to include areas of architectural and historic interest.
Conservation Areas are defined as “areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”. They’re designed to help protect the characteristics of a specific area, including their architectural and historic interests, which make them a distinctive and unique place.
Councils are required to undertake and publish assessments of conservation areas, known as appraisals, from time to time and consult with the public on the proposed changes.
The review recommends the following boundary changes:
Inclusions:
A. Furzeham Primary and Nursery School
B. Terraced properties at North Furzeham Road, Higher Furzeham Road, Bella Vista Road, Alma Road and Holborn Road
Exclusions:
C. Development to the south of Bolton Street
D. Terraced properties on Garlic Rea, Rea House and south side of Elkins Hill
E. Battery Gardens, Oxen Cove, Northern Quay and environs.
At the end of November, it was confirmed that Torbay had secured £20million in Levelling Up funding from the government.
The latest investment pot from Westminster will finance a Brixham Fish Quay Expansion and a new Electronics and Photonics Park in Paignton after the Town Hall’s so-called ‘Brixham Fish and Hi Tech Chips’ funding bid was finally given the green light.
This £20 million investment, supported by an additional £4.79 million from the Town Hall, will provide £16 million for a new fish quay and will double the size of the current auction hall – unlocking the next generation of growth for the local fishing industry.
£8 million will be provided to build a new Electronics and Photonics Production Park with new specialist production facilities. This will strengthen EPIC’s record of innovation and attract new inward investment.
Torbay Council says the funding will accelerate economic growth locally and provide more employment opportunities in the key local sectors of fishing and electronics and photonics.
Council leader David Thomas, said: “We are delighted to hear this news from Government today that has once again identified Torbay to receive more Levelling Up funding. This brings the amount of funding from the various pots secured for the Bay to over £100 million.
The fishing proposal sets out how land will be reclaimed to extend the harbour and fish market in Brixham. This project will include the delivery of an extra 7,000m² of quayside, creating additional landing space. This will enable up to an extra five fishing vessels to off-load simultaneously. It also includes the construction of two new auction halls, doubling the current capacity.
These investments could lead to an increase in landed fish value of up to £20 million per year within five years – creating a forecasted 150 additional year-round jobs and more than £11 million, adding value per year in fishing and linked activities.
Brixham MP Anthony Mangnall has welcomed the news. ‘Today’s announcement from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities comes after the council’s applications for the first two rounds were unsuccessful. Minister for Levelling Up, Jacob Young MP, shared the news that the ‘Brixham Fish and Hi Tech Chips’ project is one of the bids which has now been assessed by the department as being high-quality and ready-to-deliver.
The £14m scheme for a high-tech floating northern breakwater had been proposed by harbourmaster Adam Parnell. A meeting of Torbay Council backed the scheme to go forward for Government funding.
Councillors supported a call from Brixham councillor Vic Ellery for officers to prepare a business case. Cllr Ellery, Independent Group, Berry Head with Furzeham, said costs had come down from more than £50m because of improvements in technology. He is hoping Torbay can secure some of the £320m funding the Government is offering to support the fishing industry after the UK leaves the EU.
Councillors heard Brixham was the busiest English port by size of catch and the industry supported around 3,000 jobs. The value of fish and shellfish landed is forecast to grow by £10m to £50m by 2020.
Torbay’s elected mayor Gordon Oliver supported the move, saying Brixham Harbour was at capacity and if it failed to grow, boats could switch to competitors along the coast.
Brixham councillor Mike Morey, Independent Group, Berry Head with Furzeham, said further protection for the harbour was vital.
A recent storm had damaged some boats and one had sunk.
He said fishing provided the “lifeblood” to the economy of Brixham and Torbay.
A £3m project is taking place to reinforce the harbour’s eastern breakwater with 30,000 tonnes of granite boulders.
The protecting wall was built following a devastating south-easterly storm in 1866 which drove boats aground and caused the loss of 150 lives.
In another development, work is expected to start in March on a new £2m fish landing jetty at Oxen Cove in Brixham. It will support 57 jobs and will be mainly used to land shellfish.
