Hollicombe Action Group

 

Recent reports that Mayor Bye wants to promote Paignton as Torbay’s Garden City is an idea fully supported by Torbay Civic Society. To this end it says the first step should be to make Hollicombe Valley into a new public park rather a housing estate which after, under the plans from Midas Housing hardly comprise property that will be affordable by locals.

As guardians of the local heritage the Civic Society believe that with the awarding of Geopark status by UNESCO, Torbay Councillors have been presented with a wonderful opportunity to re-invent and then promote a new English Riviera.

Councillors could demonstrate their commitment to the Mayors vision by ensuring that plans are put in place to make Hollicombe a new public park which would open up external funds from Government as it has a commitment to encourage more green spaces through Local Authorities.

The Society take this opportunity to thank those that fought for years to get Torbay its Geopark status which has ensured we are on the list of Unesco Global Network of Geoparks, which in the UK includes: Abberley and the Malvern Hills Geopark, North Pennines Geopark, Forest Fawr Geopark Wales, Northwest Highlands Geopark Scotland, Marble Arch Caves & Culcagh Mountain Park Northern Ireland.

The Society also believe Torbay should widely promote its new status. And what better way than marketing a new park and perhaps a new Geopark Heritage Centre on the land at Hollicombe. This land linked directly to the seashore makes an ideal location for an additional visitor attraction and with Geopark status recognised around the Globe and with currently just 26 Geoparks in Europe and only 52 World wide Torbay has an asset it must use.

Local Chairman of Torbay Civic Society Ian Handford says “Torbay’s current Local Plan refers to only 50 homes as appropriate to Hollicombe and I just hope that Councillors might unite to save what is likely the last piece of parkland alongside the seashore to achieve something like the promotion of the Jurassic Coast in East Devon. This is really about the heritage we will leave for the children of today”.

Ian Handford