COUNCILLORS in Tavistock have recommended that the town centre's main toilet block should be raised to the ground and rebuilt at an estimated cost of £200,000.
Members agreed at their Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting on Tuesday night to go into partnership with West Devon Borough Council and stump up a third of the cost of the rebuild.
Three options were on the table for the Guildhall Square toilets which are in desperate need of a revamp — close the site, make basic repairs at the cost of £100,000 or go for a complete upgrade at £200,000.
Councillors decided unanimously to go for the third option which is expected to be rubber-stamped by the full council at its meeting next Tuesday.
Committee chairman Peter Jones said there was never any doubt that the council was going to keep the toilets, as they were used more than any others in the town.
'Too many towns and villages are closing down their toilets and if we want to keep attracting visitors to Tavistock we must have these facilities,' he said.
'We only have an X number of pounds to spend and it is a question of ensuring that we spend the people of Tavistock's money wisely — in our opinion this is a project worth doing.'
By contributing around £65,000 towards the toilets, the town council wants a big say in the design and the level of facilities available including a parent and baby changing area and access for the disabled.
West Devon Borough Council, who approached the town council looking for its involvement in the project, will pay the remaining two thirds of the cost.
Mr Jones said the final figure was uncertain: 'We decided the best option was to knock down and start again and at the moment we do not know what the final costs will be.
'We are hoping that the loos will be open 24 hours, which does not apply to any of the other toilets in the town.
'With the toilets in Somerfield Car Park closing and the pannier market loos closing at teatime, it is all the more important we keep the Guildhall Square toilets open and accessible at all times.'