Welcome to an exhibition of plans for
The Paignton Pavilion

Exciting plans are being drawn up to transform the site of the former Inn on The Green into The Paignton Pavilion.

As a year-round flexible conference and events space overlooking Paignton Green, the pier and seafront, The Paignton Pavilion will provide a major boost to tourism and be an asset for the local community.

We’d very much like to know what you think about our proposals before submitting them to Torbay Council to seek their approval.

Who we are

Hotel Indigo, Torquay and Municipal Hotel, Liverpool

The Fragrance Group is a property and investment company based in Singapore with interests in the UK and Australia.

The Company has already invested over £100m in projects within Torbay that include the Mercure and Ibis Hotels in Paignton and the Hotel Indigo in Torquay.

Their continued investment in Torbay acts as a catalyst for economic growth, job creation and the opportunity to address a shortage in modern hotel stock that has constrained larger group or corporate stays which bolster the local economy, particularly out of the peak tourist season.

The Paignton Pavilion signals their continued investment into the area and aligns with the council’s wider economic and social ambitions of transforming the town into a vibrant, well-connected, resilient and attractive place to live, work, visit and invest in.

The Fragrance Group has appointed an experienced, award-winning team to help shape this exciting new project.

Torquay-based Kay Elliott Architects lead the design, bringing local knowledge and experience of delivering high-profile leisure projects that include the new Stadium for Bath and projects at the O2 and Chester Racecourse.

They are supported by AC Archaeology and Bell Cornwell, providing specialist heritage and planning advice, alongside Savills offering market insight. Together, the team combines creative design, technical expertise and local understanding to deliver a thoughtful, policy-led and commercially sustainable project.

Location

The site occupies a prominent position along the Paignton seafront, immediately opposite Paignton Green and a stone’s throw from the promenade and Paignton Pier. The site is visible from key viewpoints across the Green, the seafront, and the wider bay.

Understanding Paignton’s Past

Paignton’s history begins as a small Saxon settlement that emerged from the gradual drainage and reclamation of low-lying salt-water marshes.

Its early townscape was shaped by manorial landholdings that changed dramatically with the arrival of the railway in 1859.

Victorian and Edwardian development introduced formal terraces, villas and hotels. During the 20th century, tourism-led growth expanded the town inland while post-war development and more recent regeneration have continued to reshape the townscape, reflecting Paignton’s evolution to a modern diverse coastal town.

Paignton Timeline
Opening on 2 August 1859. This marks the pivotal moment in Paignton's expansion as a tourist resort, accelerating housing and seafront development.
Systematic drainage of marshland between Old Paignton and the seafront begins, enabling streets such as Victoria Street, Palace Avenue and Torbay Road to be laid out. This reclamation was essential to Paignton's transformation into a seaside town.
Construction of Elbury Lodge and adjacent villa within the site (Shown on 1869 OS plan) and later is converted to the Dendy Hotel.
Paignton Green is conveyed by landowner Mr. MacLean to the local council, on the condition that sea defences would be provided. The Green becomes a key element of the town's public realm.

1869 – Eastern Esplanade constructed as part of coastal development.
Reinforcing the town's identity as a Victorian seaside resort.
Dendy Hotel becomes the Esplanade Hotel.
Railway led growth continues, affordable rail travel enables middle class visitors from the Midlands and London.
  • Staying in villas or
  • Higher-end hotels
With shift from rail to the car saw the rise of mass family based domestic tourism.
  • Larger Hotels
  • Holiday Parks
  • Modern affordable tourism
Paignton Festival Hall opens.
Paignton, like many seaside towns struggles to compete with the rise of the cheap foreign package holidays.
  • Falling hotel occupancy
  • Closures
  • Boarding houses converting to HMOs or low-cost accommodation
  • Reduced private reinvestment
Esplanade Hotel ceases trading.
Inn on the Green Opens.
Many established retailers close due to out of town shopping and the rise of online retail.
  • 2023 – Mercure Hotel Opens
  • 2024 – Ibis Styles Hotel Opens
Inn on the Green closes.
Inn on the Green Vacant.
Seafront Improvements & Flood defences.
PAIGNTON PAVILION – Proposed opening.
The Site ↪