Site Meeting, St Anne's 21st Nov 2020
WOLSINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD
SATURDAY 21ST NOVEMBER 2020 10.00 AM
ST. ANNE’S CENTRE, WOLSINGHAM
PRESENT: Chair: D. Sugden, J. Norman, Mrs. Y. Bell, Iain Rodgers, Mrs. A. Nelson D. Jones
- APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: J. Wilson
- DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: None
This meeting was called to discuss and consider the provision of toilets in the recreation ground.
To date there is a single multi use, accessible, toilet facility in the eastern corner of the park nearest the road ( A689) which is provided, and maintained by Durham County Council.
The St. Anne’s Centre also has toilet facilities for male/ female and an accessible toilet, which are open to users of the St. Anne’s Centre and are not open to the general public.
These toilets are provided and maintained by Wolsingham Parish Council.
There are no other public toilet facilities in the vicinity.
There has been an ongoing dialogue at Wolsingham Parish Council meetings regarding toilet facilities at the park, the main issue being the cleanliness and general upkeep of the public toilet provided by Durham C.C., with no resolution as to how the facilities could be improved.
A consultation exercise has taken place and a questionnaire delivered to all households in Wolsingham asking the public for their views on the future development plans of Wolsingham Parish Council, one of the questions raised was the provision of toilet facilities in the park and there was a positive response that toilet facilities should be improved.
At the August meeting of WPC the topic was raised again, the Clerk, having observed the park and attendance of the public over the summer months came to the conclusion that part of the problem was a seasonal one in so far as when the summer months and school holidays happen there is a great influx of visitors and one toilet is not sufficient to cope with the demand.
To address the problem, the clerk thought that an underutilised old pavilion, now an implement shed could be utilised and adapted to provide all the toilet facilities needed to suffice the demands being placed on the park. One member asked if indeed the building belonged to WPC, yes it does.
Following from this an architect was engaged to look at the feasibility of the idea.
Three sets of proposals were provided by the architect, showing various options to be considered, part of which could be a kiosk/ café serving confectionery, hot drinks and snacks.
Should the kiosk/ café go ahead then this would also negate the need to have an ice cream van, running the engine all the while , thus saving vast quantities of air pollution. The current operator, franchisee of the van was contacted and they would be in favour of running the business from the adapted implement shed.
To further the scheme an item was placed on the agenda for the November meeting asking members to decide which option (1.2 or3) was most suited to the park.
A Parish Council member was now most adamant that the existing provision of toilets by DCC were vastly improved and no additional toilets were necessary, a complete U turn from previous comments.
To address the issue the meeting of 21st November was held at the recreation ground
The Chair, D. Sugden briefed the meeting as to where we now are and the group left to first look at the St. Anne’s Centre: an extension to the east of the building could be achieved and was most suitable as the water supply and foul drainage system was located there. Similarly the north east corner of the building was investigated and a similar alteration to the building could achieve the same result.
It was put to the meeting that there was a possibility that the existing facilities in St. Anne’s could be shared with the general public and user groups by way of access keys and entering the building from the east end changing rooms. As the building is not staffed, the workings of this shared use idea were unclear and thought to be unworkable. Some members questioned the rationale on safeguarding issues , particularly as young children use the St. Anne’s Centre on a regular basis, ( Toddler group , cubs/ scouts/ beavers, tap dance classes), as parents they would not be happy with this situation.
The meeting looked at the DCC toilet block with a view to extending and improving, but as this was a matter for DCC, did not further this option.
The group then progressed to inspect the old pavilion, the doors were opened and there was a ride on tractor housed, and some carpets belonging to Durham County Carpet Bowls group.
The building was adequate but was in real need of updating and bringing back into use. The location of the facility was ideal for the whole of the park but particularly suited for the children’s play park, immediately adjacent, with wider views to the entire park.
The building was adjacent to the fence of 19, West End, but no other houses or properties would be affected. There is a surface water drainage pipe some 10 yards from the building running north to south and outflows to the river Wear, at the bottom of the park.
A water supply is located at the north western corner of the park , electricity can be routed from the St. Anne’s Centre, and foul drainage would be across the field to the east to join the sewerage network, which had already been investigated by Northumbrian Water Authority.
The group returned to the ST. Anne’s Centre to consider the options for enhancing the toilet facilities, and upon a vote being taken it was resolved to recommend to full council that the enhancement of the old pavilion/ implement shed be the preferred option and that the architect be advised that option 3 , the provision of male/female and accessible toilet together with a takeaway kiosk facility be part of a planning application to be submitted to the planning authority. The architect had in the meantime enquired of DCC the possibility of permitted development, but as it was a change of use a full planning application was necessary.
The group welcomed this outcome as the general public could object or support the planning application and it was for all to see and comment on.