Older Brixham residents get a new housing option

People aged 55 and over will soon be able to express an interest in 23 new affordable apartments at the St Kilda redevelopment in Brixham. The social-rent homes are due to appear on Devon Home Choice from Wednesday, 12 August 2026, with shortlisting planned for the first week of September.

The £5.7 million scheme is replacing the former St Kilda care home, which had been vacant since 2016. It will offer modern one- and two-bedroom apartments designed to help older residents live independently while remaining in their local community.

Applications open on 12 August

The properties will be advertised through Devon Home Choice, the system being used to invite expressions of interest. Prospective residents should check the available listings from 12 August and follow the instructions attached to the St Kilda properties.

The confirmed practical details are:

• The development contains 23 affordable apartments.
• Homes will be available at social rent.
• Applicants must be aged 55 or over.
• The apartments have one or two bedrooms.
• Advertising begins on Wednesday, 12 August 2026.
• Shortlisting is scheduled for the first week of September.

Torbay Council has not provided detailed allocation or priority criteria in its announcement beyond the age requirement. An expression of interest therefore does not guarantee an offer, and applicants will need to rely on the individual Devon Home Choice listings for the applicable conditions and instructions.

Homes designed for independent living in Brixham

St Kilda is intended for older residents who want a smaller, modern home without leaving Brixham. The development will include communal spaces alongside the private apartments, creating housing specifically arranged around independent living for people aged 55 and over.

The homes are also described by the council as energy-efficient. No expected household energy costs or detailed performance ratings were included in the announcement.

Providing smaller social-rent apartments may allow some older tenants to downsize. When that happens, larger social homes can become available for families already on the housing register, although the council has not estimated how many properties could be released through this process.

The project reflects the same pressure behind affordable housing plans elsewhere in England: increasing supply while navigating the practical steps needed before residents can move in.

A vacant care-home site returns to residential use

The former St Kilda care home had stood unused for almost a decade. Demolition was completed in early 2025 after asbestos was safely removed, allowing construction of the new apartment building to proceed in phases.

Recent work has brought the building into clearer view, while removal of the site crane marked the transition towards the later stages of construction. Torbay Council said the scheme remains on schedule for completion in autumn 2026.

Councillor Alan Tyerman, the council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, said the development would provide high-quality homes that help older residents remain independent in their community. He also identified the opening of expressions of interest as the project’s next significant milestone.

Chris Herron, contracts manager for Classic Builders, said collaboration across the project team had helped the development progress well and that work was now focused on the next construction phase.

Shortlisting comes before the autumn completion

The first immediate step is the publication of the apartments through Devon Home Choice on 12 August. Shortlisting is expected during the first week of September, but the council has not announced a precise moving date or detailed allocation timetable.

Construction is scheduled to finish in autumn 2026. Until individual listings provide further conditions, the confirmed route for interested residents aged 55 and over is to review the St Kilda advertisements when they go live and submit an expression of interest through Devon Home Choice.

Source: Torbay Council