Town centre loos make way for parking spaces

The public toilets in Ashford’s Vicarage Lane car park are set to be bulldozed and replaced with more parking spaces.

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) has submitted an application to its own planning department to knock down the town centre loos.

Cabinet members suggested closing the block in May, 2015, due to repeated problems with drug needles, vandalism and flooding.

ABC said they would be replaced by a new community toilet scheme, in which the council pays shops, pubs and other local businesses to allow people to use their facilities.

The scheme began in September and the toilets have since been closed.

In a design statement, ABC said: “Due consideration has been given to the design, access and heritage of the proposed demolition of Vicarage Lane public conveniences.

“An assessment on heritage within the proximity of the proposed demolition has concluded that the proposals do not have a negative impact, within the setting, or on any heritage asset in nearby.

“As such, it has been concluded there would be no negative impact upon the town centre conservation area.”

Councillors initially planned to close the other town centre toilets in New Rents, but made a partial U-turn and agreed to keep them open.

ABC’s new community toilet scheme has seen shopkeepers and restaurant owners in the town centre open up their loos to shoppers, residents and visitors.

Businesses participating can receive up to £1,000 per year if they provide facilities in busy areas. The council also pays up to £900 per year for facilities which provide separate toilets and baby changing areas, £800 for separate toilets and disabled loos, or £700 for male and female toilets.

Participating businesses display a sign in a window to indi- cate if the public can use the loos for free, and extend the opening hours well beyond 5pm each day.

The toilets in New Rents remain open to the public.

To view the demolition plans visit planning.ashford.gov.uk and search application 16/01696/ AS.

What do you think? Write to Kentish Express, 34-36 North Street, Ashford, TN24 8JR or email kentishexpress@thekmgroup.co.uk

AShford Vicarage Lane look likely to be replaced with more car parking spaces