Paignton and Preston seafront plans published

Multi-million pound complete redesign

Formal plans for a once-in-a-lifetime revamp of Paignton and Preston seafronts have been published for the first time.

The plans, now filed with Torbay Council, show flood defences which include a complete redesign of the seafront areas and changes to traffic flows. A council decision on the plans is likely this spring.

The multi-million-pound transformation of the two seafronts was given the green light in principle by the council’s cabinet committee almost exactly a year ago. It is designed to protect low-lying areas of the town from flooding as the climate changes and sea levels rise.

It will also offer a chance to redesign the old-fashioned promenade areas with ‘public realm’ improvements designed to make them more attractive areas. Six months of public consultation went into the Paignton and Preston Seafront Masterplan, which estimates that more than 300 properties in low-lying parts of the town are at risk of flooding.

By providing defences now, the council says this risk can be drastically reduced.

Funding of £4.6 million has already been secured from the Environment Agency, Section 106 contributions from local developers and the government’s Future High Streets Fund.

An original proposal for sea defences was published by the council in December 2020 but was rejected by residents who said it was not good enough.

Preston Seafront Promenade plan  (Image: LDA)

The latest proposals reflect that feedback, although some local organisations including the Action for Paignton Pressure group still say the designs are flawed.

The council says: “The initial concept was of a traditional front line concrete sea wall. The scheme has now evolved into a tiered sea defence with enhanced placemaking in the seafront areas.

“This transition has been informed by consultation feedback from residents and stakeholders. We want to create a high-quality coastal defence and enhanced public space. We want to make sure it is fit for the future of Paignton and Preston seafronts.”

The plans have been submitted by the council through the Torbay Development Agency, and will have to pass through the planning committee in the same way any other planning application would.

There have not yet been any public comments on the published proposals.

The plans include major changes to road access and parking on the seafronts, with an enlarged pedestrian area between the Shoreline Restaurant and the pier, with no through traffic.

The proposals now lodged with the council’s planning department show the number of car parking spaces cut from 207 to 127.

At Preston there will be a flood defence wall and gates, with a resurfaced lower promenade and a new upper promenade with a stepped front edge and accessible slopes to the shelters and cafe.

Paignton Coastal Scheme (Illustration from Torbay Council)

Spaces will be provided for existing reconditioned shelters, as well as the existing cafe building on the upper promenade. There will be a new cycleway, new seating, new lighting, litter bins, lockers and paddleboard storage.

Paignton will also have new flood defences and gates, together with a resurfaced lower promenade and a new upper promenade with planting terraces, seatings and accessible slopes. New showers will be built next to the existing toilet block.

The current shelters will be relocated to the top of the flood defence embankments, while there will also be new pedestrian footpaths and crossings.

Paignton will also have new seating, cycle parking and improved lighting, plus new litter bins, CCTV columns and outdoor showers.