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Former bank car park to house temporary loos for Fenland town
The temporary toilets will remain in position in March, Cambridgeshire, until new units are built
A council has turned to the same company that provided loos for the Grand National, Royal Windsor Horse Show and even the UEFA final in Cardiff to install temporary toilets in March throughout 2024. Fenland District Council is using specialists Wernick to solve the temporary loo problem now the former permanent toilets in Broad Street, March, are being demolished as part of a £8.3m regeneration scheme.
The temporary public toilets are open following the closure of the existing toilet block.
“The block is being removed as part of plans to enhance and open-up the riverbank and make it more of a feature,” said a council spokesperson.
“The temporary men’s, women’s, and accessible toilets are available in the old Barclays Bank car park in Grays Lane until a new toilet facility is built.”
Public loos in March (top right) to be demolished as part of wider regeneration scheme
However not everyone is happy with the new loos, one woman, telling Fenland Council on their Facebook page that “the temporary disabled toilet is lethal. If you are in a wheelchair, there is no edging on the so called ‘ramp’ and the user could go straight over the edge”
The council responded by saying they have asked their contractor “to check and address this”.
Another woman told the council: “For anyone in a standard electric wheelchair (not mobility scooter) it would be very dangerous to try and access this.
“If that person were to be able to get in then they certainly wouldn’t be able to exit the toilet safely as there is insufficient turning space to make either a right or left hand turn out of the cubicle.”
The old toilet block is being removed and replaced with a new, permanent facility, as part of the overall plan to enhance and open-up the riverbank, creating a new town feature and attracting footfall to the town.
Demolition of public toilets ‘imminent’ despite petition to save them
The temporary toilets will remain in position until the new units are built along the western edge of Grays Lane and the riverbank.
Plans for the new toilet block are being finalised and will be put before Fenland District Council’s planning committee for consideration early in the New Year.
“The design intends to retain some of the characterful original features of the current toilet block,” said the council spokesperson.
Cllr Chris Seaton, lead member of the March Future High Streets steering group, said: “We know how important it is to people using the town centre to have access to suitable facilities and that’s why we’re committed to ensuring there won’t be a gap in provision.
“We’re doing everything possible to work with partners on this joint town centre project to minimise what we know to be uncomfortable disruption to the town centre.
“In the long term the transformation will be a massive future-proofing boost for March. Our message to all our traders and residents is to please continue to bear with us as we work hard to make that transformation happen.”
