Archived press
release.
Felixstowe town centre is now even more visitor friendly thanks
to the completion of the new public toilet facilities in Crescent
Road Car Park.
The new toilet block complete with a specialist Changing Places
cubicle for disabled people is now open to the public, replacing
the old toilet block on the Triangle. The building has been
designed to be attractive in its own right, reflecting the
traditional architecture of the town, combined with the latest
environmentally friendly designs.
“The new facilities are a great addition for the town and, with
the inclusion of a Changing Places cubicle, will help even more
people to visit the town who may have been restricted in the past,”
said Cllr Andy Smith, Deputy Leader of the Council.
The new facilities have seven cubicles, including a larger
parent and toddler cubicle, and the Changing Places cubicle with a
special hoist and a height adjustable changing bench. The
accessible cubicle is also large enough for parents or carers to
provide assistance. They have been designed to be more
environmentally friendly using Whiffaway waterless urinals to
reduce water consumption and sun tubes to reduce electricity costs
for lighting. The adjacent pedestrian link out of the car park to
the town has also been improved to link visually to the town
centre, particularly the Triangle, and make access to and from the
town centre more inviting and convenient.
“Now that the new toilets are open, work can begin on
demolishing the existing block, landscaping the area and installing
a canopy to make a more attractive centrepiece for the town.
Although the canopy is not intended to be a permanent long-term
solution, it will provide an interesting and attractive feature
until money is available to fund even more impressive plans,” added
Cllr Smith.
Work on demolishing the old toilets began on Monday, January 24
and the landscaping work is expected to be completed by mid March,
depending on weather conditions.
A great deal of planning has gone into choosing a visually
impressive design for the Triangle and once the landscaping and the
installation of the canopy have been completed it will be a
versatile area that can be used for a range of community functions
all year round and in all weather conditions.
“The specialist Changing Places cubicle is particularly
good news for the town as it is the only location in Suffolk to
offer these facilities with the next closest being in Norwich and
Southend,” said Cllr Doreen Savage, Cabinet Member for Customers
and Partners.
“Visitors needing accessible facilities will no longer be
restricted from visiting the town and with the completion of the
shared space scheme in Hamilton Road, with a single level surface
and reduced traffic flow, getting around the town has never been
easier,” added Cllr
Savage.
The new toilets have been funded by Suffolk Coastal Council,
using money from the Local Authority Business Grant Initiative
(LABGI) fund, an additional grant from Government for councils who
have successfully attracted new businesses and so increased income
from business rates. The scheme to relocate the toilets and improve
the Triangle is part of the Felixstowe Futures regeneration project
for the town. It both addresses the need for modern, free public
toilets and provides a more attractive centre piece for the
town.
To find out more about the Crescent Road toilets project or any
of the other Felixstowe Futures projects residents can visit
www.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk/yourdistrict/felixstowefutures/projects/crescentroad
or can contact the Felixstowe Futures project team on 01394 444576
or email
felixstowe.futures@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk