A new toilet block in March town centre is expected to be open for use in the New Year.
Completion of the toilets was delayed by an unforeseeable issue with a collapsed sewer.
Fenland District Council’s Cllr Chris Seaton, lead member of the March Future High Streets steering group, said: “It’s frustrating and unfortunate that this unforeseeable issue delayed completion. The new toilet block will be a long-term asset to the town and a further enhancement of the redeveloped Broad Street area and we look forward to it being open and operational in the New Year.”
The new toilet block, retaining characterful features of the old block, provides a male, female and disabled facility which will be accessed with contactless card payment of 20p.
The old toilet block was removed to allow the riverside to be opened up and enhanced, complementing the new Broad Street layout.
The demolition of the former Barclays Bank building in Broad Street, next to the toilet block site, is also part of the regeneration project. Demolition got under way this week.
The toilets can be finished and opened once demolition is complete. Construction safety rules mean two sets of contractors cannot be working on the two projects at the same time due to their proximity.
Grays Lane is expected to remain closed until both projects are complete. It is hoped that will be early in the New Year.
The toilets are being funded jointly by Fenland District Council and with funding from the £8.4million March Future High Streets investment programme, funded by the Government’s Future High Streets Fund (£6.4million) and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Market Town’s Fund (£2million). March Future High Streets investment came alongside transformational road layout changes to Broad Street delivered by Cambridgeshire County Council.
Fenland District Council bought the Barclays Bank building with Government Future High Street Fund funding to prevent it remaining empty and being a long-standing eyesore. The site is to be sold for redevelopment.