Sale of Melton toilet blocks could net council £90k

Public conveniences at Park Lane and Wilton Road are being sold off because they are closed due to facilities being provided elsewhere.

The sale of the loos was approved by councillors four years ago but they remain unsold and cabinet members were told at their latest meeting that they will now be marketed through an informal negotiated tender process.

Planning approval was obtained for the demolition of the Park Lane toilets to build two two-bed flats but that permission has now elapsed.

An offer was received for £42,500 for the Wilton Road block in November 2018 but no sale has yet been made.

Those loos were made rendundant when new £400,000 public toilets were built nearby on Wilton Road and opened in March 2019.

A report which went before the cabinet states: “The council has no alternative use for the properties and as such the active marketing of these properties will continue with a view to concluding a sale and yielding the associated capital receipt.

“Not to continue with a disposal is not recommended as an option as it could leave the council exposed to accusations of a lack of transparency and due process in any future disposals and negate the expenditure incurred in obtaining planning permission for one of the properties.

“Not selling the properties could result in the council retaining liabilities, which could have a revenue impact and not achieving capital receipts.”

Disposal of the properties will save the council paying business rates for them - around £4,000 a year for the Park Lane toilets and nearly £5,500 for those at Wilton Road.