Fears over what future may hold for beloved green spaces in Torbay

TALKS are due to begin this week between Torbay Council and liquidators over the future of the trust that manages some of the bay's countryside ‘crown jewels’

- by GUY HENDERSON

The Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust (TCCT) was placed in the hands of liquidators last week amid fears for its future.

The trust looks after Torbay landscapes including Berry Head, Cockington Country Park, Elberry Cove and more than 40 miles of coast paths and bridleways. Its Occombe Farm attraction, which includes an award-winning cafe, is expected to close imminently.

The cost of managing those areas is huge. According to the Charity Commission, the trust spent £3.63 million in the year up to March 2024, the last year for which figures are available. Its income comes mainly from trading activities, donations and legacies.

Around 70 staff will be affected by the decision taken by the trustees to put the TCCT into liquidation. They decided the financial pressures on the organisation had become too much to handle.

The news sparked fears that some of the 27 separate woodlands, parks and open spaces managed by the trust across the bay could be in peril

Torbay Council leader David Thomas said talks with the liquidator would begin almost immediately.

“We'll be able to understand how we can move forward from there,” he said.

The council owns the freehold to almost all of the land managed by the TCCT, but Cllr Thomas said it would not be a straightforward matter of it all being simply returned.