Colourful illuminations should soon return to Teignmouth seafront after designs for new lights were agreed by the Town Council.

Teignmouth seafront was plunged into darkness in October 2021 when Devon County Council removed lighting columns and the catenary decorative lighting between the lamp-posts due to safety concerns.

Although Devon County Council replaced the lighting columns the following spring, the new posts were unable to accommodate the ‘festoon’ lights, then owned by Teignbridge District Council, and subsequent talks between the two parties failed to arrive at a solution.

Teignmouth Town Council allocated £60,000 for a new lighting scheme in this year’s budget, as part of a 9.9% increase in the town’s precept, and has now drawn up designs for the new lights.

‘The designs are the motifs which you see all around Teignmouth of the fish and anchor, one of which you’ll hopefully soon see on every single one of the new columns which is about 40 in total,’ said Town Clerk Iain Wedlake.

The Town Council is now in talks with Devon County Council to agree technical specifications and will then submit a planning application with Teignbridge District Council.

‘The actual installation would be swift but we cannot proceed without the two permissions from Devon and Teignbridge,’ Mr Wedlake explained.

‘The process has taken about four months so far and we’re hopeful that decisions will soon be made and we can appoint contractors to start work,’ he added.

Mayor councillor Cate Williams is keen to get the illuminations replaced as soon as possible. ‘It’s seaside, it’s family-friendly and what people expect when they come to a seaside town,’ she said. ‘It’s colourful and bright, it uplifts people when they come and sit by the sea or have a stroll along the promenade,’ she added. ‘This will be an investment in our town’s economy and vibrancy and we’ll all reap the benefits in due course by maintaining Teignmouth’s enviable reputation as both a great place to live and visit.’