How empty churches could answer Torbay's prayers for new homes

'It's a win-win situation'

Run-down care homes and empty churches could be used to help Torbay cope with demand for social housing.

The bay’s council plans to borrow £20 million as it forges ahead with a pioneering scheme to tackle its problems finding homes for hundreds of families on its waiting lists.

It is already two projects into a ‘Hotels to Homes’ strategy aimed at creating new homes on the site of derelict old hotels around the bay.

Now even more unused buildings could be brought into the equation.

Deputy council leader Chris Lewis (Con, Preston) told a meeting of the full council: “It could be run-down care homes or churches that need developing.

“These are houses that we desperately need.”

The project got unanimous cross-party support from the council, after members heard how the council aims to deliver around 75 homes a year over the next five years.

The Brampton Court and Seabury Hotels in Torquay have already become part of the Hotels to Homes project.

In the early 2000s, Torbay regularly delivered around 180 new homes every year, with a peak of 273 new affordable houses going on to the market in 2014. However, numbers have dropped sharply, with only an average of 31 homes being delivered annually over the last five years.

Small hotels and guest houses across Torbay are seeing trade decline as people’s holiday accommodation choices change towards larger hotels, holiday parks and AirB&Bs, meaning some owners are keen to get out of the trade.

The council is standing by to turn their struggling bed-and-breakfasts into homes.

The £20 million of ‘prudential’ borrowing will support the two Torquay hotel schemes and give the council funds to look for more. Government money to the tune of £5 million is also available.

Councillors were enthusiastic about the proposal.

Cllr Steve Darling (Lib Dem, Barton with Watcombe), who is also the bay’s Lib Dem MP, said housing was the most common issue raised by local people at his surgeries. “We need to move harder and faster on this,” he said.

Cllr Lewis said adapting derelict hotels, care homes and even churches would ease the pressure to build in the countryside.

“Every house we build on a brownfield site means we don’t have to build one on our green and pleasant land,” he added. “We have a number of hotels that look derelict and need improving. They have been run down for a number of years, and we may be able to create the homes we desperately need.

“It’s a win-win situation.”