Facilities for prosperity
The plan is to convert the Toilets situated at the bus terminus adjacent to the Church Point Car Park, into an enviable facility. The intention is to have four cubicles with wide doors to cater for all types of mobility vehicles for people with severe disablement. The cubicles would provide the usual toilet facilities with baby changing units and a range of handholds. Some severely disabled people need a carer to accompany them and space is needed so that their heavy mobility units can be moved about.
The plan was also designed to make the facility as vandal-proof as possible by situating the necessary utilities in a secure corridor behind the cubicles.
The plan identified four fully equipped cubicles with the intention of having three cubicles available at busy times with one to spare in case of damage or breakdown. Newbiggin by the Sea has the capacity to host events that attract thousands of people so, the doors would have interchangeable signs indicating ‘Men’, ‘Women’, ‘Disabled’ or they could be simply ‘all-purpose’.
Because the proposed layout is flexible one or more of the cubicles could include ‘shower’ facilities at little additional cost.
The existing site is in the right location for the Church Point car park and all the utility requirements are already in place, this is also on the U.K. Coastal Route.
Disabled people in heavy mobility units can park their motor vehicles temporarily outside the toilet block whilst using the facility.
Benefits
The Town Council needs to provide facilities that contribute to the prosperity and reputation of the community.
IF THE TOWN COUNCIL WANTED TO BUILD A PUBLIC TOILET BLOCK IN ANOTHER LOCATION IT WOULD COST TWICE AS MUCH AND GETTING AGREEMENT ON ANOTHER LOCATION COULD TAKE YEARS and MAY NEVER HAPPEN.
First-class facilities will benefit our Traders by increasing footfall.
The coach bays at the Church Point car park are unused and we will only get day-trippers if we have reputable facilities. 200 coach visits per year each with 30 passengers would put about £100,000 into our fragile economy.
Appropriate facilities could help to bring the Triathlon back. The Triathlon attracted 450 participants and thousands of spectators.
Companies offering paddle boarding and windsurfing can be attracted if we offer the facilities that they need. An established provider is considering Newbiggin by the Sea for these activities.
The plans are in place and the toilets could be available for next summer.
Covid will increase the number of people staying in the UK for their holiday breaks.
Previous attempts to provide facilities have been blocked. We cannot be seen to display a callous indifference to the needs of our residents and visitors. I refer to the fact that plans to provide 21st Century Toilet facilities have been rejected twice by the adoption of intimidation from protestors who had not seen the plans describing the proposals.
Alan Thompson Oct 2020
See also: The Cresswell Toilets in Newbiggin by the Sea
