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Search forIce rink bid to transform harbourside
Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 09:10
As many as six developers have been drawing up plans for the prime waterfront area in the hopes of going into partnership with Torbay Council.
Proposals include a permanent ice rink within the Banjo area as well as a hotel and casino complex on the harbour's edge, revealed deputy mayor Kevin Carroll (pictured on the Banjo) . But none of them involve moving the Princess Gardens war memorial, he said.
The development of the area is key to securing the crumbling promenade which still needs major repair work with a bill suspected to run into millions.
Phase one on the Western Promenade took £649,000 to carry out the necessary repairs. Mr Carroll said: "Phase two of the repairs is going to need a lot of money. It has never been costed, but we suspect it to be multi-million works needed."
Cllr Carroll confirmed the council has been meeting with prospective investors to talk about ways of teaming up with the council to regenerate the harbourside and 'fund the necessary repairs'.
He explained: "We can confirm several developers are interested in restoring the Pavilion and redeveloping the adjacent site for a new hotel complex.
"Other ideas vary from the provision of a permanent ice rink within the Banjo area, through to a full blown hotel and casino complex on the harbour's edge.
"Other developers have suggested expanding the theatre and providing an outdoor arena with associated restaurants and shops."
In the face of fears the Princess Gardens war memorial could be shifted to another location, he was adamant: "None of the developers have suggested relocating the war memorial".
He also revealed they have ruled out a 30-storey skyscraper which one developer had proposed for Victoria Parade.
Cllr Carroll said the council expect to have a brief for the area complete by the end of the year.
This will then have to be advertised for developers to submit their definitive plans.
"It is such a sensitive area with the gardens and Pavilion being grade two listed and because of this we have to be careful what we do there, but at the same time it is quite exciting we have all these people interested certainly in the current market."
The repair project at Western Pier is now complete while the remaining sections and prom — between and including the Banjo to outside the Pavilion — are currently fenced off and will remain so until the necessary funding is found to carry out works such as demolition and replacement or repairs to existing structures.
The council is actively carrying out investigation works into the major repairing option as it felt this would be the most suitable and quickest method of enhancing the seafront.
But Cllr Carroll said there was no point in carrying out repairs on the prom if it did not fit in with the future plans for the area.
Yesterday Mayor Nick Bye took steps to reassure residents there would be no building on the war memorial.
"The Mayoral Vision Action Framework shows the War Memorial staying exactly where it is" he said.
"There is no question of building anything on the site."
He added: "My comments were intended to initiate a debate in the context that, in my personal opinion, the present site has been compromised over the years by neglect, close proximity to a very busy and noisy road and structures such as the shelters, the Princess Theatre, various retaining walls and the Banjo.
"In an ideal world it would be possible to 'sort' this and enhance the setting of the War Memorial.
"Sadly, however, we shall only be able to restore this area with some enabling development.
"At that stage I wondered if it would be worth considering moving the War Memorial a few yards onto a new Promenade overlooking the sea and within sight of the D-Day Embarkation Ramps at Beacon Quay and the Memorial to the Home Guard at Corbyn Head."
Meanwhile, some work will continue at the site. The new illuminations ordered for Princess Gardens in Torquay are expected to be installed in the beginning of December.
The council says the majority of ground work and electric cabling is now in place.
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