Brand new eco-friendly toilets built by the Isle of Wight Council in partnership with Wootton Bridge Parish Council are to be officially opened next week.   Flushed with success, the Council, also expects to see the launch of two more eco toilets in Brading and Yaverland later this month.

The new toilets in Brannon Way, Wootton, use water saving technology and have been designed to maximise use of natural light and ventilation to reduce energy usage and cost.

The toilets, that also feature community artwork, form part of a new landscaped village square which again has been created in partnership between the parish council and the IW Council.  Both the toilet block and the new square will be officially opened at 10am on Tuesday (19th August) by representatives of the IW Council and Wootton Bridge Parish Council.

Cllr Tim Hunter-Henderson, IW Council cabinet member for environment and transport, said he was sure the new amenity would be welcomed by Wootton Bridge residents.

“Our residents’ surveys tell us that people across the Island want to see better toilet facilities so we are delighted to have been able to work closely with Wootton Bridge Parish Council to do that.

“Not only are the toilets environmentally friendly, they have been designed with input from the Wootton Bridge community so they reflect just what residents want to see there.”

The toilets are the first on an initial wave of eco-friendly loos being built by the council. Others in Yaverland and Brading are to be officially opened soon while work is shortly to get underway in Ventnor. Five others are also due to be built in the current financial year and two other existing toilets are to be refurbished.

Among environment-friendly features built into the design of the Wootton loos are high level windows to maximise the use of natural light, natural ventilation, flush control mechanisms and low-energy lighting. The inclusion of community artwork and the setting in the newly created village square complete the special features of the new toilet that is already proving popular.

Wootton Bridge parish clerk Lynda Smith said:

“The toilets and square have been very well received locally and we are already getting many favourable comments from residents. Even if people do not want to use them, they are still having a look in. They have become a real local attraction.

“The location right outside the parish office means we are well placed to keep an eye on them and we have also expressed an interest in being involved with the contract monitoring as part of the Empowerment pilot.

“We are also working with IW Council with a view to installing a static CCTV camera on our office building to cover the entrances to the toilets. All this work has come about under the Parish Empowerment project and is a great example of what can be achieved when the two bodies work in close partnership.”

While the £100,000 cost of the toilets was met by the IW Council, Wootton Bridge Parish Council funded the village square – using grant funds from Biffaward Small Grant scheme, IWC Parish Award Scheme, the Community Chest, One Million Blooms, and Wootton in Bloom.

Work on the square, designed by landscape architect David Whitehurst for the Parish Council, involved the demolition of raised flower beds and leveling of the general area with new paving, soft landscaping, four new streetlights, four new seats, two litter bins, re-siting and renovation of the Parish Notice Board and housing for a Christmas tree/flagpole.

Lynda said:

“The new village square has transformed the appearance of the area. It is totally unrecognisable from what it was and has given the whole village a boost. Everyone is really proud of what has been achieved.

The soft landscaping and trees have provided an avenue effect  and softened the street scene, making it a pleasant, welcoming place for people to stop and enjoy.  The Parish Council intends to use the area for village events such as markets and displays or even an al fresco café.”

Toilets were designed by Biggs Talbot Architects. The building contractor for the new toilets and landscaping works was Mountjoy. Planting was by Groundsells landscaping.