Visitors face 30p charge to spend a penny at proposed new Hartlepool toilets

The existing block at Seaton Carew Clock Tower is in a listed building which is nearly 90 years old, making it “difficult to maintain” and any refurbishment work “very expensive”.

Hartlepool Borough Council chiefs said issues include significant water usage, flooding, “unpleasant smells”, difficulties in addressing vandalism and antisocial behaviour plus poor disabled facilities.

They are therefore looking to build a new toilet facility at Seaton Carew closer to the main car park for visitors to use on arrival and when leaving.

Council chiefs are also proposing a 30p charge would be in place, which would provide income to help fund the plans and support proposals to keep the beach huts in Seaton Carew.

The scheme was unanimously backed at Monday’s finance and policy committee meeting.

Councillor Sue Little, Seaton representative, said: “I get lots and lots of complaints over the state that the toilets are in now.

“Seaton brings a lot of revenue to Hartlepool and we have got one of the worst conveniences in the North East I’d say, unfortunately.”

She added Whitby charges 40p to use public toilets and that Seaton Carew has “a better beach and facilities”.

The cost of the new building is anticipated to be around £435,000 and would feature nine standard toilets, along with two compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and a “changing places facility”.

Council chiefs had already earmarked £130,000 from the Neighbourhood Investment Programme for the toilet improvements, with a further £95,000 coming from the Changing Places Fund.

The remaining £210,000 is planned to come from borrowing, which will be repaid through savings in water usage and the revenue from the 30p charge.

Councillors also gave the go-ahead for the local authority to negotiate the purchase of the beach huts at Seaton Carew to “complement the development of improved toilet facilities”.

It comes after the local authority was approached by the operator of the beach huts who said they wish to sell them “or if this is not possible to relocate them outside of Hartlepool”.

Council chiefs added the Clock Tower which currently houses the toilets will be used for other uses and “could potentially act as focal point and centre piece for Seaton”.