Tech South West Award winner ARC Marine to establish Marine Restoration Centre in Torquay

South West marinetech firm ARC Marine is set to transform Torquay’s former Living Coasts Site into the company’s operational headquarters and R&D hub for ocean conservation and habitat restoration.

ARC Marine has signed an exclusivity agreement with Torbay Council and the Wild Planet Trust as the first major step towards transforming the former Living Coasts site into a “state-of-the-art Marine Restoration Centre”.

Based in Torquay, ARC Marine is a leader in marine habitat restoration and subsea and coastal protection technology, and a previous winner of the Tech South West Innovation Award and MarineTech Award.

All parties have now instructed legal counsel to negotiate lease terms for ARC marine to take on the closed Living Coasts attraction, located on Torquay’s waterfront. The company has secured significant investment to redevelop the site.

The planned Marine Restoration Centre will focus on cutting-edge research, innovation, education and outreach, helping to restore marine ecosystems while supporting sustainable blue economy initiatives. ARC marine is already delivering large-scale marine restoration projects in the UK, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, and this new facility will provide a unique and purpose-built space as a dedicated base for its expanding international operations.

“This is such an exciting milestone for ARC marine, and we are glad to work alongside Torbay Council and the Wild Planet Trust to bring this vision to life,” said Tom Birbeck, founder and CEO of ARC Marine. “The former Living Coasts site is the perfect facility for us and all of the infrastructure is already in place to carry out testing and development on our nature-based solutions.”

The tenancy is expected to bring significant benefits to the region, boosting Torbay’s position as a centre for marine research and conservation while creating skilled jobs and opportunities in the local community. Most of the ARC marine team are local to Torbay and have attended South Devon College, University of Plymouth or Exeter and are keen to remain in their hometown but still pursue a career in the marine industry.

Cllr Chris Lewis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth at Torbay Council, said; “We are thrilled that with the Wild Planet Trust we have been able to work together to find a new user for the prominent harbourside location.

“The location lends itself perfectly to be a world class marine research and development hub.

“What makes this even more special is ARC marine is a local company who already has a base in the area. By keeping their operations within Torbay, they can continue to grow local talent and inspire a new generation of marine conservationists.”

Torbay Council and the Wild Planet Trust have welcomed the agreement, recognising its potential to revitalise the site and contribute to global efforts to protect marine ecosystems.

“The Trustees at Wild Planet Trust have worked hard to find the best company to operate on the former Living Coasts site. We have undergone an open and diligent process and have concluded that ARC marine are that company. As a conservation education and research charity we have noted that ARC marine are local to Torbay, have a wonderful reputation, coupled with exciting visionary plans to move to and then develop the Living Coasts site. ARC marine are very much aligned with Wild Planet Trust’s core mission of how to live more sustainably with nature leading to the outcome of ‘Helping Halt Species Decline.” Stephen Kings Interim CEO Wild Planet Trust.