Council progresses plans to refurbish Market Yard toilets

Frome Town Council is progressing with plans to apply for a £250,000 loan to fund development work at the Market Yard toilet block and surrounding area.

At the Full Council meeting on 5th August, councillors agreed to submit the wording required for a Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) application.

The proposed loan would be for 20 years, with annual repayments of around £22,000. However, no money will be drawn down until a lease agreement with Somerset Council has been finalised, the design work and full project costs are known and adequate funding is available.

The council said the application allows it to prepare for the next stage of the project while continuing to develop proposals with partners.

Leader of the council Cllr Fiona Barrows said at the meeting, “We have agreed the brief for the master plan for the whole area, including the toilets, which should be going out to tender soon. That will then give us an overarching design for the toilet block and for the area, then we can have those conversations about what we prioritise and what the design is and what then we would look at getting a quote for, which would then feed into how much if this loan we would get.”

More than 500 residents previously took part in engagement work about the toilets and wider Market Yard and riverside area.

The most supported option was a ‘space’, combining public toilets with a possible attended information point or concession to help deter anti-social behaviour. 

The council agreed in April to seek a 25-year lease from Somerset Council to enable future investment in the toilets. The lease has not yet been finalised.

Frome Town Council took on responsibility for the toilets in 2024 following plans by Somerset Council to close them. The toilets have been closed since last year due to ageing infrastructure, high maintenance costs and vandalism.