Derelict building a 'serious risk' to seaside town

Emergency work is being carried out on a derelict building in the centre of a seaside resort deemed a "serious risk" to the community.

Torbay Council is using emergency powers to demolish parts of the building on Victoria Street in Paignton, Devon, which has been closed, leading to traffic problems in the town.

The council said serious structural concerns were raised by the owners' engineer in November 2025 and it had deteriorated in April.

Victoria Street has been closed to traffic and the council said it was doing everything possible to improve public access ahead of the English Riviera Airshow, which is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors to the town at the weekend.

Council officers were called out to the site after reports it had "significantly deteriorated" and a road closure was put in place immediately.

Workers from Gilpin Demolition, the contractor appointed by the council, were being lifted by crane to remove unsafe parts of the building.

The building now has a large hole in the roof and debris can be seen on the pavement below, which is closed off to the public.

Paignton resident Nigel Stoyle said: "It's been neglected for a long long time now and that's the result of it, I'm afraid.

"It's a part of Paignton that should have been kept up and it should never have got to this - it's a part of Paignton's heritage."

Jim Horwell, who has lived in Paignton all his life, said: "It's been in a poor state for a long time and it's a bit of an eyesore - I think it will be better when it's gone."

The leader of the council said stepping in and using emergency powers to make the area safe did not mean the local authority was taking ownership of the crumbling building.

It remained in the hands of local firm Solanki Holdings, which has not yet responded to a request for comment on the current situation.

Torbay Council's leader, Dave Thomas, Conservative, said: "We had hoped since last November that the owners would address the long‑standing issues identified by their own engineer, but, unfortunately, this has not happened, and the building has deteriorated to the point where it poses a serious risk to the community."

Thomas said the building had "blighted" Paignton and urged the owners to come forward with "clear plans for the future".

The council leader said the work would not affect the English Riviera Airshow and advised visitors to pre-book parking, use public transport or come on foot or bicycle.

Additional reporting by Guy Henderson, Local Democracy Reporting Service

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