UP TO £30,000 of Euro cash may go down the pan if a builder is not found soon to construct the new toilet block in Fairplace Gardens.

West Devon Borough Council has to complete the work by the end of June to receive funding towards the £100,000 enhancement scheme, which includes landscaping and seating.

The project, which was granted planning permission six months ago, has been held up due to objections from residents of Peel House who claimed the new toilet would be so close to their property they would be 'semi-detached' to it.

But while many months have been spent liaising with the residents and even entering a Party Wall Agreement, the contractor selected to do the work has since taken on other jobs.

The borough council is now concerned that the town may lose out on the European funding available if construction work does not start soon.

Deputy chief executive David Inman said it was a three month job: 'We have to complete the work by the end of June because that is the deadline set by the European 5B programme,' he said. 'The enhancement scheme would be all finished by now if everything had gone to plan — we want the toilets back as soon as possible.'

The existing loos, which are about eight feet away from the garden wall of Peel House, were condemned at the end of last year after another bout of vandalism and closed down.

In order to deter vandalism and other anti-social behaviour in that area, the council wanted to do away with the alleyway which existed between the toilet block and the wall of Peel House.

But resident and owner of three flats in the property Colin Webb, who has lobbied his MP and the Government over the issue and written hundreds of letters, said it was not right that a public loo could be built bang up against a residential property and in full view of five windows.

However, there is no legislation on the environmental effects of a loo being so close to housing and no planning rules specifically aimed at stating how and where these buildings should go.

Mr Inman said a legal procedure had now been entered into whereby small amendments had been made to the scheme.

Meanwhile concern was raised at a town meeting recently over the lack of public loos for visitors.

West Devon councillor Jayne Hill, who represents Okehampton, said the authority was now in a terrible situation: 'We can finally go ahead with the project but now the builders are too busy and the European cash is under threat,' she said.

'We were all ready to go months ago but democracy kicked in.'