TDA CHAMPIONING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & BUSINESS GROWTH

Supporting the economic transformation of Torbay is a key part of TDA’s social purpose and drives much of our work across the organisation. Since our inception, TDA has introduced a wide range of initiatives designed to support businesses, create jobs, and increase investment to the area for the good of our residents, businesses and visitors.

1. Innovation

We help businesses to innovate, seize new opportunities and expand. We offer business support and advice to organisations of all shapes and sizes, helping them to realise their business’s potential. Alongside this we offer a range of workspace located across the region including Torbay Business Centre, Edginswell, Claylands and EPIC (Electronics and Photonics Innovation Centre) in Paignton; providing businesses with the space and facilities to thrive. We also manage Cockington Court Centre of Creativity which is both a visitor attraction and an innovation centre to cultivate art, culture, and local talent while supporting small local creative businesses.

2. Inclusivity

We want to create an inclusive Torbay economy where everyone benefits and local people can gain meaningful employment. To make this happen, we work with a number of large, local employers to champion community wealth building, ensuring that wealth is locally owned and reaches local people. We raise career aspirations by working with local schools, host local jobs and apprenticeship fairs, and promote high value jobs in construction to young people via our Build Torbay programme. We also support black and minority ethnic owned businesses and are proud to have established Torbay’s first inclusive networking group aimed at this demographic.

3. Skills

Torbay is one of the top five locations in England for photonics and microelectronics expertise and engineering skills, and is home to companies working in telecoms, space, and optical systems technology. We are committed to capitalising on these specialisms, attracting investment from across the UK and abroad, and ensuring that our local community has the skills to secure future growth of these sectors in Torbay. We work with local schools and colleges to upskill our future workforce, including our plans with South Devon College to introduce a new photonics degree programme.

4. Tourism

Torbay has an exceptional natural environment which offers huge opportunities for tourism. Through our Destination Management Plan, we are working to strengthen the English Riviera’s position as a premier coastal resort and to build a tourism sector which supports local businesses, creates jobs, contributes to a sense of pride for residents and attracts visitors all year round.

5. Town Centre Regeneration

Torbay’s town centres face significant economic, social and environmental challenges. However, all three towns have enormous potential and are set within a wonderful natural environment. Working closely with Torbay Council, TDA is driving the regeneration of Torbay’s town centres. We have created a Transformation Strategy which outlines our aspirations and approach, and have secured funding from central government through the Towns Fund and Future High Streets to realise these ambitions.