Plans have been unveiled to demolish public toilets in the centre of Shrewsbury, which were closed after problems with anti social behaviour, and build a £300,000 information centre.
Shrewsbury Town Council’s recreation and leisure committee met recently to discuss ideas for the Butcher Row toilet’s development with Base Architects.
They have remained closed since last year for health and safety reasons, after West Mercia Police alerted the town council to increasing incidents of anti social behaviour. The toilets had been named on a website as a meeting place for men wanting to engage in homosexual activity.
But now the building could be demolished after committee members discussed the idea of turning the site into a glass fronted information point, public space and gathering point with new unisex toilets and disabled access. There would be a lift to the lower ground floor where an office, rest room, staff toilet and storage would be based.
Town councillor Miles Kenny, who sits on the committee, told the Chronicle work could start in September, subject to planning permission, and completed by next spring, at a cost of between £250,000 and £300,000 paid for by the town council.
The committee said the ‘structure and quality of the existing building was not salvageable, was non-compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and there was a need to provide a more beneficial replacement’.
Also proposed is a private outdoor area, possibly with a retractable roof, which can be used all year round.
Cllr Kenny said the scheme was being looked at as a way of renewing the area which was a main hub in the town, and promoting the work of the town council. “The current toilets and its steps tend to get slippy and have been known to flood in heavy rain,” he said. “The new design would incorporate tough and robust unisex loos which would be closed in the evenings.
“There would also be a town council information point that would cover town council events and information from Destination Shrewsbury.”
Cllr Kenny said the plans were due to be discussed at the next meeting of Shrewsbury Town Council on April 18.
Alan Shrank, planning representative for Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents Association, said members were ‘delighted’ with the progress being made to provide new toilet facilities in Butcher Row.
He added: “We hope that they will be staffed and available to serve the night-time economy. We have not seen what else is proposed but we hope that the town council will undertake some pre-application consultation.”
by Charlotte Hester