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What next for Torquay's Riviera Centre?

Credit: Torbay Council

Cash-strapped Torbay Council is looking for a business partner

The long-term strategy could see the Riviera International Conference Centre at Torquay rebuilt to provide a bigger conference venue with improved pool and leisure facilities, a hotel, shops, offices and homes. 

The conference centre set in gardens near Torquay seafront and town centre and close to medieval Torre Abbey, now a museum, is owned by Torbay Council. 

The venue opened in 1987 as the English Riviera Centre, providing conference, sports and leisure facilities. It includes a gym, pool and cafe bar, as well as a conference hall for up to 1,500 delegates, ten meeting rooms, an exhibition hall and banqueting for up to 1,200 guests.

A draft document outlining future possibilities for the site lists shops, leisure, conference, offices, homes and a hotel, and considers relocating or rebuilding current facilities.

It suggests plans should include a bigger conference venue capable of holding music events and exhibitions, an improved pool with spa and gym, and an outdoor events  area.

Last year the venue, which employs around 80 people, hosted the UK Independence Party conference and regularly hosts large gatherings including religious and voluntary groups as well as sporting events.

Torbay council is paying a £350,000 management fee to the centre this year. But it  wants to end its annual subsidy and develop a long-term strategy for the site from when the current lease runs out in 2020.

Councillors are being asked to approve a draft market brief document for the site, which sets out the authority’s views on what it would like to see happen there.

The brief would invite developers to put forward proposals and would lead to the council selecting a development partner who would be awarded ‘prefered bidder’ status next May to deliver its plans.

The development site includes the conference centre, car park and  tennis courts, but could extend into Abbey Park, which has gardens and facilities for tennis, golf and bowling, and leads to the beach.

The draft market brief will be considered by councillors on the authority’s overview and scrutiny committee on Wednesday, September 12.

The council has frozen non-urgent spending after making more cuts this year as its government funding has fallen by £21m over the five years to 2020.

Conservative elected mayor Gordon Oliver has warned it faces finding £12m more savings after 2020 and has proposed it considers handing over some services to other councils.

The draft document describes the conference centre as an “innovative redevelopment opportunity” and says: “Practical, and imaginative proposals that will bring forward significant tourism and leisure development such as a hotel are viewed as key parts of any offer together with an enhanced sporting and swim offer within the site.

“Proposals will need to clearly identify how existing uses of the site can be accommodated within the redevelopment, including the costs of any rebuild or re-locations.

“The scheme may include provision for an anchor hotel with a complementary, residential/retail offer to enhance the attraction of Torbay. These are desirable elements but alternative proposals will be considered.”

The document  lists a series of “Key Success Factors” which are:

Improve capacity to hold larger conferences and/or events (including music and exhibitions);

Provide hotel accommodation for tourists/business;

Create a venue that does not require a Council subsidy and is sustainable going forward;

Create an enhanced Tourist Attraction and a family-friendly environment;

Make best use of grounds with improved access from beach to facilities and Torre Abbey;

Build a dynamic all-weather leisure facility, to include swimming pool(s) and flexible outdoor events space;

Improve development appeal by supporting residential element;

Improve services in health and well-being such as a spa and improved gym;

Make full use of views and landscape and explore UNESCO Global Geopark linkages;

Enhance the links to local culture, produce, art and history;

Consider high quality retail and hospitality options to increase attraction, footfall and income;

Increase employment opportunities in Torbay.

The draft document says: “The site is owned by the Council and this project provides a fantastic opportunity to improve upon the current leisure and conference centre offer through the potential provision of a high-quality hotel, conference, leisure and mixed-use development.

“Initial expressions of interest are invited for the potential redevelopment of the whole site through a single developer proposal to include the redevelopment, relocation and rationalisation of the current leisure and conference offer; with potential for complementary hotel/ residential and retail development, suitable parking and access arrangements and appropriate public realm improvements as part of the scheme.”

It adds: “The process will lead to an invitation to submit a proposal with the successful bidder being invited to work with the Council to deliver the redevelopment of the site as strategic development partner, based upon their expertise, experience and financial resource.”

In 2015, the English Riviera made up of the towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham attracted 4.6 million visitor trips. Tourism spending was  £436 million and the sector employs one in five of the population.

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