ONE of the town centre's public toilets is set to be demolished after it was closed earlier this year in the interests of public safety.

Test Valley Borough Council have applied for permission to demolish the former public toilet block in George Yard car park.

The move will create five extra car parking spaces and open up the area leading to the High Street.

They say this follows the successful roll-out of Andover’s new community toilet scheme, which was launched in July.

As part of the community toilet scheme pilot businesses have agreed to open up their toilets to members of the public without users having to make a purchase.

In return the council will pay each company £1,500 per year.

Leader of the council, councillor Phil North, said: “The council previously took the decision to close the toilets in George Yard in the interests of public safety.

"We regularly found used needles and other drug paraphernalia left in the cubicles and on one occasion, a member of our cleaning staff suffered an injury caused by a hidden needle.

"That is why we decided to implement the community toilet scheme and after a successful pilot are proposing to demolish the disused toilet block in the George Yard car park.

"The demolition of the building will improve the overall look of the area and create additional car parking.”

As previously reported the authority said it closed the toilets, which included the George Yard and the Bordon Gate facilities, and set up the new community scheme was a result of a persistent problem with drug users.

This culminated in a council employee being injured by a suspected drug needle in February 2016.

The Advertiser understands the staff member, who the council would not name due to data protection laws, was tested for infections and later given the all-clear.

The incident took place six months after the council initially closed both the George Yard and Bordon Gates toilets in October 2015 to deter drug users.

After consulting with Hampshire Constabulary, the council reopened the facilities in November.

However the toilets were again closed in May 2016, with the council admitting both facilities would be closed “indefinitely”.

The public conveniences at George Yard were re-opened in July 2016, with a security guard present, while Bordon Gates remained closed.

The application for demolition consent has been submitted to the council’s planning department and will be considered in due course.

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