East Sussex: Village 'shock' and 'anger' over plans to 'sell off' toilet blocks

Rother District Council (RDC) has put on the market disused toilet blocks in Winchelsea and Winchelsea Beach to let for prospective businesses, with the buildings being advertised via commercial property agents, Dyer & Hobbis.

The former toilet block, in Monks Walk, Winchelsea, is available to let for £5,600 per annum. The former toilet block, in Dogs Hill Road, Winchelsea Beach is on offer to let for £4,600 per year.

Icklesham Parish Council said it has been in discussion with RDC for ‘many years’ about possibly taking over both facilities.

A statement from the parish council said: “This came as a total shock to furious residents and councillors alike. The situation has been very complex as the buildings are in a terrible state of repair and realistically, it is likely that the only option is to demolish both buildings and replace the public toilet facilities, which is what the parish council wanted to do and we have been waiting to hear from Rother on this subject for months.

"Rother District Council initially offered both facilities to Icklesham Parish Council on a leasehold basis, however, given the potential costs involved in demolishing and rebuilding the parish council, on behalf of residents, stipulated that in order to take the toilets over, the parish council would want the freehold interest of both sites. This is to ensure the future of the buildings and also to protect Icklesham parish taxpayers’ money.

“Rother District Council has refused to transfer the freehold and is now offering the sites to private businesses. The parish council has never understood their reluctance to hand over these facilities, particularly as we thought Rother’s aim has always been to devolve these facilities onto town and parish councils.

“The adverts on Dyer and Hobbis’s website stipulate that the lessee would need to provide public toilet facilities during business operating hours, the adverts do not state whether these facilities would be for paying business customers only, a free service or how Rother District Council intends to manage and enforce this.

“Icklesham Parish Council are very much of the view that the best way to preserve these essential public services is to transfer them to the parish council.”

The council added that it has written to Rother in protest over the plans.

A spokesperson for Rother District Council said: “We are aware of the importance of public toilets to our communities and have been in dialogue with Icklesham Parish Council over the future of the Winchelsea toilets for some time.

“To help ensure facilities remain available across Rother, we launched plans late last year to market the leaseholds of 14 public convenience sites with a view to retaining the public toilets while creating business opportunities and saving money.

“We know the parish council would like the freehold of the Winchelsea toilets transferred to them, but we have an obligation to demonstrate best value for the sites and we want to explore all options for them prior to any potential freehold considerations. We are continuing discussions with the parish council about their involvement in the future of the Winchelsea facilities.”