Safe, Sustainable Travel Torbay

We were extremely concerned to see the ‘options’ offered to Brixham Town Council in early September 2025.

A choice of 3 different multi-storey car parks were offered, all significantly increasing the number of car parking spaces in the Central Car Park

Brixham Town Council have since reported their preference is to ‘Maximise parking for residents and visitors, with flexibility for long and short-stay users and residential permits’.

We believe that this will lean towards a design like this:

Read on as to why we will not support this proposal for regeneration.

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1. The Housing vs Car Park Conundrum

Back in 2021, funds were secured to deliver up to 70 affordable homes on Brixham’s brownfield central car park—while preserving current parking levels. A clear signal that regeneration could also mean housing solutions.

Yet today, the planning conversation has shifted. Instead of homes, we’re talking about adding a second storey to the town-centre car park—doubling capacity. With such a significant housing crisis in the town, we believe this is a missed opportunity.

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2. Sustainability in Strategy: Are We Walking the Talk?

Torbay’s Local Transport Action Plan (2021–2026) set clear goals:

• Support development while encouraging low-carbon, active travel
• Improve walking, cycling, and public transport to reduce car reliance

Simultaneously, the soon to be adopted Local Transport Plan 4 (2025–2040) emphasises:

• Decarbonisation, aiming for net-zero transport by 2050
• Prioritising “Greater Places for People” and active travel

In practical terms: Torbay is pushing sustainability on paper but doubling parking directly contradicts these goals.

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3. Mixed-Use Development vs Car-Centric Design

Torbay’s Local Plan (2012–2030) focuses investment in sustainable town centres and urges development in accessible, walkable locations. It discourages car-first planning in favour of higher-quality town-centre spaces.

It also sought to promote Park & Ride options for all three towns, including Brixham, rather than overloading the centres themselves with more cars.

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4. What’s on the Table vs. What’s on the Paper

Policy Objective	Official Strategy	Current Design Trajectory
Affordable Housing	Encourage mixed-use, housing opportunities in town centres	Housing plans absent; only parking on offer
Active, Low-Carbon Travel	Prioritise walking, cycling, public transit	Doubling parking reinforces car dependency and fails to improve other modes
Town Centre Vitality	Focus on pedestrian-friendly, attractive public realm	Car park expansion may undermine walkable spaces
Park & Ride as Alternative	Promote peripheral parking/hubs to reduce town-centre congestion	Induced demand will increase congestion ion town centre.

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5. Why This Matters for Brixham

• Loss of Mixed-Use Potential: A central, accessible site gets swallowed by parking instead of housing or community space.
• Contradictory Signals: Citizens see commitments to sustainability and vibrant development—but are now facing doubling of car space instead.
• Sustainable Alternatives Ignored: Express buses, ferries, and an effective Park & Ride network could serve visitors better while preserving centre vitality.

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Navigating Forward: A Call for Policy Coherence

To align regeneration with Torbay’s broader strategic goals:

1. Reassess the car park expansion—can some land be reserved for housing, community use, or pedestrian space instead?
2. Integrate sustainable alternatives—explore park and ride, boost ferry links, and improve bus connections.
3. Ensure transparency in consultation—the community should see how regeneration aligns with the transport and housing strategies already in place.

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We are disappointed about this lack of vision and people centred planning. We strongly urge Brixham Town Council and Torbay Council to reconsider these proposals.