The Neighbourhood Plan for Torquay has the following draft Tourism Policy - looking for feedback ‘Torquay – a destination in transition’ Vision: To be best in the West: a major, quality, all year round tourist destination based on coast, countryside, culture and cuisine Torquay’s Tourism sector is recognised as requiring transition to a higher value, higher quality year round offering to improve the sustainability of the sector and provide the foundation of a secure and prosperous economy for Torquay. The following policies underpin this transition. Increase in the quality and sustainability of the accommodation sector The foundation for the transition of Torquay to the ‘Best in the West’ • Torbay Council to conduct a thorough and on-going bed audit and key accommodation data to support a managed rebalancing of the quantity and quality of bed spaces in each accommodation sector based on professionally assessed market evaluation and predicted future trends. • The transition will be managed by the Planning process whereby the bed audit and market evaluation will underpin a reduction in areas of over supply or low quality by a presumption in favour of a change of use to other high quality accommodation or an increase in those areas that support the Vision for our resort. • Create Core Tourism Development Areas (CTIA’s) to concentrate investment priorities (see below) • Support development of accessible and green accommodation, and investment in quality hotels • Stop HMO’s in established tourism areas • Persuade landlords and owners, or use of Section 215 notices, to improve maintenance and visual appearance of properties in established tourism areas • Protect the green open spaces within Torquay’s environment by restricting new holiday accommodation to existing or urban brownfield sites • Encourage businesses to trade all year round and maximise their turnover • Support creation of an international hotel school to underpin a high quality accommodation sector • Develop good quality conference facilities to support all year round tourism Concentrate tourism investment within Core Tourism Investment Areas (CTIA’s) to develop a vibrant, quality visitor experience General • The CTIA’s defined as the coastal strip from Livermead Cliff Hotel to the Imperial Hotel including the areas around Torre Abbey/ RICC, lower Belgrave Road and harbour, Babbacombe and Cockington • The first 10 years of this Plan is when most investment is required to transition the Tourism industry in Torquay. To achieve this, the Neighbourhood Plan requires the enhanced viability and sustainability of CTIA’s by the change of use for tourism properties outside the CTIA’s having a presumption in favour, provided: o The business can be demonstrated to be unsustainable. Evidence to be based on a viability assessment of the business and market sector operating environment, and o Torbay Council cannot demonstrate a market sector demand based on a professional audit of the quality and quantity of all bed spaces in Torbay and an assessment of current and future market demand, and o the new use supports an increase in the overall quality and value of the site Livermead to the Harbour The primary CTIA for Torquay, and the main focus for investment to create and retain high quality, high value tourism based accommodation, cafes and restaurants area to underpin the transition to a higher spending visitor base. • The harbour area to have a focus on cafes, bars and restaurants creating a Mediterranean al fresco experience in the summer months with good quality public space all year round. • Although in general key serviced accommodation businesses should be retained where possible it will be more important in the first 10 years of this Plan to improve the ambiance of the area by change of use to high quality, serviced apartments/unserviced accommodation sensitive to the heritage value of the area where it can be demonstrated the business is unviable within the operating environment. • Beach and harbour side environment to be a key investment area for refurbishment and maintenance to provide a high quality visitor experience • Provide e-information platform for visitors to access all information on Torquay at key points • Council investment to improve maintenance of roads, pavements and the street scene • Support redevelopment of redundant sites to improve visual appearance • Move fairground activities to Paignton Green to allow Torre Abbey green space for summer festivals and music events • Develop national standard, good quality conference facilities to support all year round tourism and quality hotels o Ensure the RICC is of high quality, fit for purpose and sustainable o Promote hotel accommodation to support delegate requirements o Develop RICC site to incorporate a top quality conference hotel Babbacombe A secondary coastal CTIA with two distinct areas, the beach side and the green downs area with its Victorian buildings. • Primary investment to be on beach front Cary Arms area and Oddicombe Beach areas where high quality strictly tourism based development should be allowed sympathetic to the areas • Retain a high quality protected green downs area with vibrant mix of quality restaurants and cafes located in the existing facades • Although some hotel businesses will thrive, in general the tourism based accommodation offering to be allowed to shrink by change of use where lack of business viability is demonstrated. Any new development should be sensitive to the heritage characteristics of the area. • Due to level access to St Marychurch shops and services and regular public transport, the area should be a focus for retirement based accommodation Integrate sports and water based activities into the tourism offer • Make access to the water easier for all users • Make it easier to store and launch small craft from beaches, harbours and piers • Blue Flag awards for all beaches • Good quality maintenance of beach fronts • Quality toilets • Redevelop existing Meadfoot beach hut area in to high quality rental beach units and quality restaurant • Develop regional and national standard sports facilities and water sports provision as an integral part of the broader Tourism offer • Develop improved harbour facilities to support a quality tourism area Develop Torquay as the cultural centre of the West with a broadened range of tourism infrastructure to diversify the visitor appeal • Develop a range of quality all year round festivals based on coast and countryside, culture and cuisine • Develop Heritage, Literary, Geology and Arts Trails • Develop volunteer walking and tour guides and bring to visitors’ attention the hidden jewels of Torbay. • Establish a suitable site for a Torbay open air theatre • Establish a Torbay Culture/Arts Centre on a suitable site • Support investment in all year round, quality indoor attractions and a major national attraction of the calibre of the Eden Project • Help businesses create packaged themed breaks and a resort tourist pass • Create a dedicated Agatha Christie centre housed in a key building such as the Pavilion where her life and works are also celebrated with history and live performances • Develop a festival/music/large event location on Torre Abbey green space • Support the development of a quality retail offering through town centre regeneration as an integral part of Tourism offer Transition night-time economy to provide a quality harbour area to attract high spenders and visitors who use quality accommodation • Support positive management of night time economy by retaining Purple Flag award • Establish zero tolerance policing of antisocial behaviour/drunkenness • Create a quality café/restaurant/bar/accommodation area around harbour with alfresco facilities • Relocate clubs to distributed locations away from residential areas but integrated with the main tourism accommodation area • Promote a dedicated entertainment complex with cinema/pubs/clubs/casino/retail integrated with the main tourism area Create a coastal, transport gateway hub at Torquay train station for trains, coaches, buses, bikes, taxis and land train • Train station, coach drop off/collection facilities, bus stop to link with main routes (and land train), taxi rank and cycle hire with link to wider cycle/foot path routes • Sheddon Hill car park as coach park • Ensure all accesses are accessible • Encourage development of existing railway buildings in to related uses • Route in to hub via Rathmore/Falkland Road from Avenue Road (reverse current one way routes for this and Kings Drive for traffic out of town) • Improve direct rail links • Controlled crossings for pedestrian access • Incorporate a mass transportation system such as a monorail linking key areas
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 07:58:12 +0000
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