News courtesy of Kevin Foster
(MP for Torbay)
It’s Lights! Camera! Action! For Paignton Picture House
The Paignton Picture House, believed to be the oldest surviving purpose built cinema in Europe, has scooped £49,960 from the Government’s Coastal Revival Fund.
The funding being awarded is to support a project that will re-open the much loved Paignton Picture House to the public for the first time in 16 years. It will allow the community to fully engage in the planned full restoration of one of Paignton’s most outstanding heritage assets which is now owned by the Paignton Picture House Trust, a trust dedicated to restoring the building.
The Government has announced a total package of funding worth £3m under the Coastal Revival Fund, with 77 awards being made nationally. Another £1m of Coastal Revival Funding will be made available in 2016/17 for those projects that narrowly missed out this time. The purpose of the Fund is to help kick-start the revival of at risk heritage sites that have the potential to create opportunities for new businesses and jobs.
The Paignton Picture House is one of our bay’s most historic buildings, with many of the Theatres and Cinemas in Agatha Christie’s books being based on it. Her favourite seat in the circle row is still there, yet for the last 16 years the Picture House has been a shadow of its former self and closed to the public.
Given this history there could be no better candidate for Coastal Revival Funding than the Picture House. After decades of showing the movie greats on its silver screen it will hopefully soon be “Lights! Camera! Action!” for the Picture House itself.
Would You Need Priority Help in A Power Cut?
Western Power Distribution has a Priority Service Register to help them provide proactive information and targeted support for people who may be particularly vulnerable during a power cut, such as those medically dependent on electricity, with a particular communication need, or who may just find a power cut particularly difficult such as the elderly or disabled.
It is easy and FREE to register on the PSR by calling WPD on 0800 917 79 53 or visiting www.westernpower.co.uk/priority-services. Do pass this information on to anyone you know might benefit as registration rates in Torbay are lower in our area than might be expected for this service.
Budget Consultation Reminder
Just a reminder that there are still a few days left to have your say on the draft budget proposals for Torbay Council for 2016/17.
The consultation closes on Friday 18th December and you can find all the details, plus how to have your say, on the Council website by clicking here.
Edginswell Gateway Development
Proposals for a major development including 550 new homes, a new Primary School and building the new Edginswell Railway Station have been unveiled as part of a new gateway development.
The Edginswell Masterplan aims to create a growth area for Torquay similar to the way development at White Rock has done this for Paignton. The new Primary School would not only serve the development, but provide much needed additional school places in the Shiphay area.
You can read more details on the Herald Express website by clicking here and the overall masterplan was approved unanimously by Councillors of all parties at last night’s meeting.
The development, along with detailed plans for the new station, will be discussed at the Shiphay with The Willows Community Partnership Meeting on Monday 14thDecember at 7pm. The venue is the Farmhouse Tavern on Newton Road and all residents are welcome to attend.
Local Plan Passed
Last week Councillors also voted to adopt the new Local Plan which sets the key planning policies for the bay for at least the next 15 years .
The draft had been signed off by a Planning Inspector as being sound and meeting the projected needs of the bay. The Local Plan covers everything from where new houses should be built and what historic areas should be protected to fairly basic areas of planning policy.
The document itself is complex and contains a large amount of detail, yet you can find more information on a dedicated part of the Council website by clicking here.
Food Bank Usage Falling
There was some interesting news on foodbanks this week as new figures from the Trussell Trust indicated that usage of them across Devon & Cornwall had dropped 25% over the last year.
The full story can be found on the Western Morning News website by clicking here.
Our local foodbank, run by Anode, in Paignton does a great job helping local people in need of its services. If you want to find out how you can help them over Christmas just click here.
Demolition of Gleneagles Hotel
After the granting of planning permission for a block of retirement flats on its site the famous Gleneagles Hotel will soon disappear from the Torquay Tourist Trails.
Wellswood Councillor James O’Dwyer, has forwarded some information about its demolition that he received from a senior building control officer at the Council which is copied below for info:
“The applicants have followed all necessary procedures with the local authority relating to the proposed demolition and we are informed they will be in contact with all neighbouring and affected properties approx 3 weeks before commencement (which is planned for 11th Jan 2016 and lasting approx 6 weeks). They will provide contact details for you if you have any concerns.
They have also confirmed all necessary dust suppression systems will be deployed and the demolition contractor will be a member of the NFDC.”
Arts Council Funding
Arts Council England has awarded £49,985 towards the creation of “GeoOpera” that will perform at the opening ceremony of the 7th International UNESCO Conference on Global Geoparks, taking place in Torbay in September 2016.
The GeoOpera will engage local community composers and performers of all ages, whilst bringing together exceptional talent including the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, through workshops and rehearsals. Residents will be invited to a special performance, and the GeoOpera will be made into a film with educational resources translated into eight major languages.
The conference and GeoOpera performance will be held at the Riviera International Conference Centre, 27 – 30th September 2016. For more information just click here or follow @GGN2016 on twitter.
Events
Mon 14 Dec: 7pm-9pm, Choir 86 Sings Christmas, Furrough Cross United Reformed Church, Babbacombe Road, Torquay. Tickets £8 children and students Free.
Thurs 17 Dec – Sun 20 Dec: 10.30am-4pm, Santas Magical Reindeer Grotto, Gallery level, Fleet Walk, Torquay. Organised by the Rotary Club of St Marychurch, Babbacombe and Tormohun.
Sat 19 Dec: 10am-2pm, Babbacombe Cliff Railway. This Christmas, our popular “Santa’s Postbox” is back. Go on the Cliff Railway and enjoy a trip to the Visitor Centre full of sparkle where the children can write and post their letter to Father Christmas. There’s mulled wine and mince pies for the grown ups too. Just £5.95 per child (to include one adult).
Sat 19 & Sun 20 Dec: 1-4pm Christmas family fun at Torre Abbey. Making wreaths, xmas cards plus children’s trails in the house and garden. Prices £3.50 for children, £5 for adults
