Public Toilets Relocation

It is recognised that for many residents, particularly older people and those with restricted mobility, the provision of well-designed and maintained public toilets are essential. As part of the March Future High Streets Fund work, the existing toilet block will be demolished and a new, fit-for-purpose toilet facility will be provided at the western end of Grays Lane.

This new facility will include two accessible toilets and a new state-of-the-art Changing Places toilet.

The Changing Places facility, which will be made possible thanks to funding from the Government's Changing Places Fund, will provide a safe environment for people with severe disabilities who need specialised facilities when they are out and about.

Demolition of the existing toilet will be towards the end of the delivery phase of the town centre regeneration works, with construction of the new toilets taking place soon after completion of the works. 

The Council is aware of the need to provide ongoing access to toilet facilities during the works and as such will look to retain access to the existing toilets for as long as possible before demolition begins.

If the period between demolition of the existing facility and construction of the new facility causes an excessive gap in provision of facilities in the town centre, temporary toilets will be installed for use by the public until the new facility is completed.

Petition

An E-petition opposing the demolition of the existing toilets was submitted to the Council last year and was live for six months, from 16 August 2022 until 5 January 2023. At the time of closing it had received 197 signatures. A minimum of 500 signatures is needed for a petition to be debated at Full Council.

Updates

January 2023: Fenland District Council is now collaborating with engineers to design the new toilet facility. Once a design is complete, a planning application will be submitted which members of the public will be able to access via the Council's Planning Portal.

The design process will take into consideration the historic features of the existing toilets and its location in a conservation area. With that in mind, the design of the new toilets will seek to re-use and recycle and incorporate elements of the existing structure into the new design. Items being assessed for re-use include roof tiles, doors, decorative features, and other pre-existing architectural design elements.