13 January 2012

Please note: this news article is in our archive. Articles were correct at time of publication, but should not be relied on for accuracy after the passage of time.

Work to build a new public toilet building in the heart of East Grinstead town centre will start next week after planning permission was granted by Mid Sussex District Council.

Councillors unanimously approved the planning application at a meeting of the North Area Planning Committee in December 2011. Construction work will take place during the first few months of 2012 and the new toilet facilities will open to the public in the spring.

The new toilets will replace the current portacabin toilet block which is located in the southeast corner of the King Street Car Park in East Grinstead. Although functional and well used, the portacabin was only ever envisaged as a temporary measure.

At the meeting, planning committee members recognised the need for a permanent town centre toilet in East Grinstead. The new facility represents a significant improvement in design, with a pitched roof, exposed brickwork and plain tiling giving the building a traditional style that is in keeping with a historic market town like East Grinstead. It is considered that the new building will enhance the character and appearance of the area and that the provision of a purpose-built toilet facility in the town centre will significantly benefit the local community.

The new toilet facility will have distinct female and male areas, a separate wheelchair accessible toilet and a baby changing facility. Mid Sussex District Council will fund the construction of the new toilet facility with East Grinstead Town Council taking on the management, maintenance and cleaning of the new public convenience. The building will be constructed using traditional local materials and the brickwork will be sourced from a local site in West Hoathly.

“With the Olympic Games taking place just up the road in London this summer and the prospect of the Bluebell Railway arriving in the town, we could soon be welcoming a significant influx of tourists to the area,” said Councillor Pru Moore, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Sustainability. “East Grinstead is a charming market town that’s steeped in history and that’s likely to prove attractive to visitors. If we want people to choose East Grinstead, and come back for further visits, then we must offer first class facilities and new public toilets will provide a welcome boost in this regard.”

“I’m delighted that Mid Sussex District Council and East Grinstead Town Council have been able to work together to deliver this much needed amenity for the people of East Grinstead. With planning permission now in place we can get on with the construction process and, all being well, it will only be a matter of months before the people of East Grinstead have access to the brand new facilities.”

For more information about the East Grinstead town centre community toilet project, please contact David Harper, Mid Sussex District Council’s Business Unit Leader for Waste and Outdoor Services, at david.harper@midsussex.gov.uk or call 01444 477487.