How town’s new loo will transform the humble pit stop
A plan of the toilet block to be built at Queens Road, Fakenham, which includes a Changing Places facility. Picture: PLANNING DOCUMENTS - Credit: Archant
The lid has been lifted on plans for a swish new toilet block in the centre of Fakenham.
The existing toilet block at Queens Road, Fakenham. Picture: PLANNING DOCUMENTS - Credit: Archant
The loo plans, which have been in the pipeline for several years, include a Changing Places facility equipped with a hoist, and another wheelchair accessible toilet. As well as male and female toilets, there will also be a ‘family room’ with a nappy changing table, and a ‘gender neutral’ toilet that will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The new building will replace an existing loo block in the Queens Road car park, which a statement in the plans describes as “not an inviting building” and “of no architectural value”.
In 2016, a North Norfolk District Council ‘white paper’ earmarked the loo as one of five across the district that could be scrapped or redeveloped.
Last September, the council pushed through a £600,000 sum to revamp six toilet blocks, which, as well as Fakenham, will include loos in New Road, North Walsham, Coast Roads in Bacton and Walcott, Stearmans Yard in Wells and Lusher’s Passage in Sheringham.
A plan of the toilet block to be built at Queens Road, Fakenham, which includes a Changing Places facility. Picture: PLANNING DOCUMENTS - Credit: Archant
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But the plans left others in the district, including Holt, feeling high and dry.
Ray Moore, town councillor, said at the time he was disappointed the council was flush with cash for loos in some areas but not others. He said: “It is sad that this does not seem to apply to the ‘tourist town’ of Holt.”
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Fakkenham’s new block will have a sleek, modern design, with zinc panels, timber and slate replacing the red brick facade of the old.
The design and access statement said: “Proposed footprint is slightly bigger than existing utilising unused space to the west of the existing
building.
“The layout has been carefully thought through in order to accommodate all the facilities needed.
“[The] new design not only looks to provide facilities needed but also to create an attractive public building where a variety of people can feel safe and provided for.
“The proposal looks to improve the current dated toilets building with a new toilets that are sympathetic to the surrounding area and are to provide attractive user-friendly space.”
The plans are expected to go to the council’s planning committee for approval.
MORE: North Norfolk District Council to spend £600,000 on sprucing up public toilet facilities.
MORE: Much ado about a loo - town council ‘incensed’ toilet scheme leaves them high and dry.
