Facilities available for each site
Colwell Beach, Colwell Chine Road PO40 9NP
Totland Beach, Madeira Road PO39 0BQ
12th August 2024
All toilets are now working at Colwell, thank you for your patience.
7th August 2024
Colwell public toilets are experiencing some technical problems and currently the red toilet door is the only one working. We are working hard to resolve these problems and apologise for any inconvenience.
May 2024
Colwell public toilets have been completed and are open to the public. A charge of 20p has been made and all toilets are unisex. The accessible toilet also has a baby changing facility.
Councillors would like to thank JOB Property for carrying out these works and are very pleased with the finished look.
A Feasibility Study has also been carried out by EMRC to determine how an accessible toilet could be included in the Totland Beach block. A copy of the proposal with estimated costs is HERE
Public Toilets Totland Recreation Ground April 2023
Report to Council.
This report forms the basis of the proposed works with estimated costs and how this will be funded by a Public Work Loan. How this Public Work Loan will be repaid over 10 years and how the Parish Council would not raise the local precept to fund this project.
Background: During 2005 the Unitary Council closed the public toilets on Totland Recreation Ground and the building was demolished during 2007/2008. Many residents were disappointed when this toilet block closed and since then have regularly asked the Parish Council to consider building new ones. During 2011 the Parish Council worked with the Unitary Council as they were granted a play-builder grant. This added a new play zone for children up to the age of 15. After the successful installation the Parish Council agreed they wanted to take over the Recreation Ground along with the conservation field (One Horse Field) behind this area to build a further portfolio of services offered to the Community, and after discussions with the Unitary Council during 2012/2013 an agreement was made and a lease for 125 years was signed. In the same year an opportunity for match funding for an outdoor gym was approved. We have welcomed a Men in Sheds Group on the Rec and they have over 30 active members and open 3 days a week. This group is heavily involved with the community and help the parish council by maintaining and painting benches, they also work well with the Army Cadets, Scouts Group and Bowling Club who are also on this land. The Parish Council ran a Community Day in May 2022 which saw many local people come along and see what is available in Totland along with the groups already on the Recreation Ground. This formed part of the consultation for the future of this area.
Councillors shared a vision of the area which included a dog agility area and a bike park as well. Many residents wanted new public toilets and due to adding many new services to the Recreation Ground the Parish Council agreed it was time. The dog agility area is currently being designed and costed with the bike park requiring further works. The public toilets have been designed and planning permission was submitted and during December 2023 this application was approved.
We now had two public toilet blocks to work on with Colwell being refurbished and Totland Recreation Ground as a new build. The third block on Totland Beach will need further thought on how we can either update/refurbish due to the complexity of the site and its location. The Council will look as to whether reasonable adjustments can be made to update this block.
The Parish Council initially looked into installing a semi-automatic, coin operated module from a Swedish company Danfo, however, after researching the needs and being offered a match fund grant for a Changing Places facility with the Recreation Ground build, Councillors took about designing a block that would suit all users for less financial layout. The Recreation Ground location is easily accessible for all as it is just off the main road, flat, open and also has a free car park. The Parish Council worked with contractors to achieve good value but by also using high quality equipment. Surveys have been carried out, and the estimated price will be £80,000. After your sharp intake of breath, let me tell you what we can achieve: 1 semi-automatic unisex module and a DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) Changing Places module with a small kitchenette area.
How will this be achieved at no extra cost to our residents?
Well, not all at once – Totland Parish Council just doesn’t have those resources, however, the capital costs can be met by raising a 10-year loan from the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB). The loan and interest charges can be covered by charging all users of the facilities a reasonable 20p. This new facility is expected to have an annual footfall of around 30,000 people and by having these facilities more community events will be able to take place. As part of the grant Totland Parish Council will be required to match fund the Changing Places facility and therefore the PWLB application will be for £40,000.
Residents have been consulted on this project and liked and agreed with the Parish Councils plan and some comments have been attached to this report. The consultation was advertised through our website, newsletter and at monthly Council meetings. Councillors intentions were to find a way to carry out this project without raising the precept to achieve this especially as the precept had been raised when the Parish Council initially took on the public toilets to cover the day to day running including maintenance in 2016. Residents have always made it clear that public toilets are important to our community.
Update July 2023:
The Parish Council had hoped to have started this project but Councillors wanted to take time for the design to be right and along with increased interest rates, and confirmation from contractors it was agreed to postpone until winter of 2023/2024. Funds within reserves have been ringfenced for the first year repayment and with an estimated rate of 4.99% and annual repayment of £9881.10. (figure correct November 2023). The Changing Places fund expires 31st March 2024, however, the build is required to be finished by this date which will be a challenge.
If you have any views on this project or would like further information, please contact the Parish Clerk on clerk@totlandparishcouncil.org.uk or by any other means listed on the Contact Us page.
Feedback from Residents:
Thank you for agreeing to put toilets back on our Rec, it will mean we can spend a longer time having fun. Thank you also for the picnic benches they are lovely and big enough for a group of us mums to sit around whilst watching our children have fun.
This is brilliant and along with the upgrade at Colwell toilets we will be the talk of the Island. We are also happy to pay for this service either by using the facilities or increasing our precept. We obviously appreciate you are able to offer this without increasing our precept but most importantly we need our public toilets.
The small kitchenette will be great for children’s parties, brilliant idea, well done Totland Councillors another great project.
We would rather they were free to use as we also said about Colwell, however we understand your reasons to charge and from talking with your Clerk we can see how this would work. Thank you for your time and look forward to seeing them completed.
Fantastic news, this has been needed for many years and the design fits in very well with the surrounding area, thank you for listening and then making it happen.
Colwell Public Toilets Refurbishment April 2022/2023
Report to Council.
This report forms the basis of the proposed works with estimated costs and how this will be funded by a Public Work Loan. How this Public Work Loan will be repaid over the 10 years and how the Parish Council would not raise the local precept to fund this project.
Background: In April 2016, Totland Parish Council took over running two public toilets in the village from the Isle of Wight Council, to avoid the closure of a very necessary facility for both residents and visitors. After years of underfunding and low maintenance by the Isle of Wight Council, the two blocks were in a poor state and many necessary works were carried out immediately. Totland Parish Council has done its best with Totland beach block, installing energy saving lighting and improving the appearance of the building by bringing in a local artist to help with mosaic designs around the windows and repairing the roof. The site is small and further thought will need to be given to this block in order that better access can be available for all users. The second toilet block in Colwell Bay is very well used all year round and suffers from blockages, leaks and mould, and this block remains a poor advertisement for our village, Colwell Bay and the Isle of Wight.
It’s become painfully clear over the last six years that making these toilets good is not going to be achieved by an annual update on a low budget which is increasing each year. It cost over £17,000 last year just to keep both these toilets operational only.
Other town and parishes have shown that there is a way out, and, in spite of the fact that it’s a very expensive one, it shouldn’t cost local residents any extra money. Shanklin had the same problem as Totland, but went for a radical solution – it installed semi-automatic, coin-operated modules from Swedish company Danfo, and their public loos are now a matter of civic pride. Totland Parish Council considered this option, however, by carrying out research Parish Councillors believed they can achieve something better for less financial layout. Of course, it still won’t come cheap and the Parish Council will work with the contractors to achieve good value but by also using high quality equipment. Surveys have been carried out, and the estimated price will be £80,000. After your sharp intake of breath, let me tell you what we can achieve: this will change the current layout of men’s and ladies to 4 semi-automatic unisex modules and a DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) module installed within the current Colwell Chine Road building.
How will this be achieved at no extra cost to our residents?
Well, not all at once – Totland Parish Council just doesn’t have those resources, however, the capital costs can be met by raising a 10-year loan from the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB). The loan and interest charges can be covered by charging all users of the facilities a reasonable 20p. These toilets have an annual footfall of around 50,000/60,000 and, together with a projected 25% saving in utility bills and lower maintenance costs, could result in lower costs all round.
Shanklin’s experience has been very positive. They have cut their annual spend significantly and they have modern, hygienic toilets with less maintenance and vandalism, and the residents are delighted – they take a real pride in their new loos.
A little closer to Totland is Yarmouth and Yarmouth Town Council have also upgraded both their toilet blocks in 2022/2023 at Yarmouth Common and Bridge Road. They look much better and great comments have been received on the difference these make to the Town, a 20p charge is made for this service.
Residents have been consulted on this project and agreed with the Parish Councils plan and some comments have been attached to this report. The consultation was advertised through our website, newsletter and at monthly Council meetings. Councillors intentions were to find a way to carry out this project without raising the precept to achieve this especially as the precept had been raised when the Parish Council initially took on the public toilets to cover the day to day running including maintenance in 2016. Residents have always made it clear that these toilets are important to our community and do not want to see them closed.
Update April 2023:
The Parish Council had hoped to have started this project between December 2022 and March 2023 but due to higher interest rates, waiting on important surveys and confirmation from contractors it was agreed to postpone until winter of 2023/2024. Funds within reserves have been ringfenced for the first year repayment and with an estimated rate of 4.99% and annual repayment of £9881.10. (figure correct November 2023)
If you have any views on this project or would like further information, please contact the Parish Clerk on clerk@totlandparishcouncil.org.uk or by any other means listed on the Contact Us page.
Some feedback from Residents:
Great idea please upgrade Colwell toilets, they are very well used by both residents and holiday makers all year round and are a disgrace.
Yes please to tidy the Colwell toilet block urgently they are such a let down to our beautiful beach.
Well done for these plans and to not cost us locals anything extra is brilliant.
It will be good to see Colwell toilets refurbished as other Parish Councils have in their villages – they need serious work.
We are very happy to see you are going to refurbish Colwell toilets and great that you have managed to finance this without a local tax rise. Agree users can pay to use the toilets, they look very posh. Well done Councillors.
Although I would rather they were free to use I also understand your reasons to charge and after talking with your Clerk I can see how this would work well. Thank you for your time and look forward to seeing them completed.
