Planning permission granted for Torbay's The Strand

LRS are delighted to have provided Land Referencing services to the project for Torbay Council, which has now received planning permission.

Torbay Council last week confirmed that planning permission was granted for The Strand. This marks a significant step forward for one of the South West's most transformational waterfront regeneration projects.

The Strand is located on a prominent harbourfront site which includes the former Debenhams building. It is hoped The Strand will become a catalyst for a new chapter in Torbay's future.

The aim is to reconnect the town centre with the waterfront, while creating a vibrant destination for residents, businesses and visitors.

Regeneration is never about a single project, but some schemes become defining moments. The Strand is one of them.

Regeneration

The development will:

▪️ Deliver a new 144-room hotel and waterfront destination, with ground floor spaces showcasing the very best local and regional food and drink
▪️ Transform the former Debenhams building, providing a strong example of how redundant retail assets can be repurposed to meet the evolving needs of modern town centres
▪️ Improve connections between the harbour, town centre and surrounding attractions, creating a more accessible and welcoming waterfront
▪️ Support new jobs, investment and business growth through the creation of a year-round destination
▪️ Act as a catalyst for wider regeneration opportunities across Torquay and the wider Bay

Successful town centres are increasingly being shaped around experiences, destinations and mixed-use developments. Often these reflect how people live, work and spend their leisure time today.

The Strand embraces that vision. By transforming a prominent former department store into a high-quality waterfront destination, the scheme demonstrates the bold thinking and long-term ambition needed to secure sustainable growth and investment for Torbay.

This milestone reflects the commitment and collaboration of everyone involved in bringing the project to this stage. We look forward to working with our partners Willmott Dixon and Milligan as this landmark development progresses into its next chapter.

Hotel

The planned £75m hotel development could revitalise a landmark harbourside site that has been derelict for more than five years.

The council said it would then look to work with a developer and a hotel firm to deliver the project, which it said would be "a gamechanger" for the town.

David Thomas, the Conservative leader of Torbay Council, said the authority was already talking with developers and hotel firms and the project would be funded by a combination of council cash and private investment.

He said: "I can't stress it enough - this really is a gamechanger for Torbay.

"Investors and hotel groups are saying this is probably the best hotel site left in the South West."

The council has carried out extensive work to redevelop the area on the other side of the road with more than £20m of government funding.

Thomas said: "People rightly enthuse about this space but then they look across the road and they see Debenhams."

The council has bought most of the properties on the site and said it would consider compulsory purchase orders of two remaining properties if the planning application was successful.

David Thomas, the Conservative leader of Torbay Council said: 

“I can't stress it enough - this really is a gamechanger for Torbay.

“Investors and hotel groups are saying this is probably the best hotel site left in the South West.

“People rightly enthuse about this space but then they look across the road and they see Debenhams.”