At Tandridge District Council’s Community Services Committee meeting on 16 June, a recommendation was made that public toilets in the layby on the A22 Godstone Road, which were closed on safety grounds on 24 May, should not reopen. In January, the committee had determined to keep the toilets accessible until they ‘became unviable’.
There has been an increase in reported incidents of public sex acts and threatening behaviour at the site: Surrey Police had increased their patrols around the area, and asked TDC to close the building.
Extensive and expensive repairs needed
Officers from Tandridge District Council visited the site on 17 May, noting that there were ‘numerous concerns over the structural condition of the building’, including tree damage, an unsafe and leaking roof, and cracked and distorted brickwork, possibly due to nearby trees and roots. The lead community surveyor later advised that repairs would be ‘extensive and expensive’, and gave an estimate of approximately £80,000, which was deemed uneconomical. The cost of the long-term sustainability of the toilets was also considered.
The land is owned by Surrey Highways, with a licence granted for the building by Surrey County Council. TDC is currently considering options for the layby facilities in conjunction with Surrey Highways, including the possibility of charging points for electric vehicles. The Community Services Committee meeting was part of an ongoing review of the district’s public conveniences.
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