More public toilets to be made into sleeping pods

The public toilets on East Street, Hereford are currently closed due to anti-social behaviour

More public toilets in Herefordshire are to be converted into temporary sleeping pods for homeless people.

Six public loos on East Street in Hereford have been closed for several years, having previously been plagued by anti-social behaviour.

Herefordshire Council has now applied to itself for planning permission to convert them into three separate bed and living rooms, each with a toilet and shower.

Temporary homeless pods were installed at the Symonds Street car park in the city and briefly at the county bus station during the winter.

Responsibility for the toilets was passed from Herefordshire County Council to Hereford City Council 10 years ago.

But after "persistent vandalism", the city council concluded that they "had become more trouble and expense than they are worth".

"The East Street toilets were highlighted as being in a very unclean state during their period of operation, and many people would not use them in such poor condition," it added.

The city’s community toilet scheme, which allows the public to use facilities in food and drink outlets, "now gives the public good access to toilets" including at later hours, while several supermarkets in the city also have free toilets, the application points out.

The latest application can be commented on via the council webpage until 7 June.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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