Portable toilets are to go (From Gazette Series)

Portable toilets are to go

HUNDREDS of portable toilets that appeared on land next to the A38 should soon be starting to clear.

They have been stored on two separate sites - one in Newport, the other in Gossington.

As reported in the Gazette last October, one Newport man was shocked to discover 500 toilets had been dumped in a field just yards from his home.

Frank Applegate, 70, who lives beside his business, Applegate's Supreme Coaches, said he was relieved this week to see some of the toilets had started to be removed.

"It is certainly good riddance in our opinion," he said. "We would be very, very upset if they were still there come summer."

Mr Applegate said he spoke on behalf of at least five other households which ave had the sea of toilets in view for the past four months.

"We do want to see them out of the way and are happy they seem to be moving," he added.

Stroud District Council has investigated the Newport situation but enforcement officer Martin Morris said an agreement on the removal of the toilets on the site had been reached by negotiations.

"The toilets are being removed voluntarily," he added. "This is ongoing and is likely to take around a month. We have not had to take any further action."

It is a slightly different story just a few miles down the road, where another portable toilet storage site has become the subject of an enforcement order.

Loos on the Move Ltd, in Manor Farm, Gossington, is a completely separate storage site.

District council appeals officer David Corker said the toilets first began to appear in September, 2002.

"The Gossington site was brought to our attention and an enforcement notice was issued on December 2, 2002," he added.

A planning application to change the use of the site from agricultural use to storage, cleaning and maintenance of portable toilets was refused.

Mr Corker explained the enforcement notice had been served on the same grounds of refusal of planning permission.

"The council issued the enforcement notice because it believes the use of the land is contrary to planning policy which seeks to prevent unsustainable commercial development on open countryside," he said. "It was also deemed that the use of the site causes increase use of substandard junction and local roads to the detriment of highway safety."

An appeal has been lodged against the enforcement on the grounds that the period of compliance for cessation of the unauthorised use should be extended from six to 15 months.

Mr Corker said: "Time is running out for the use of the site as toilet storage. The site has been refused planning permission and, if the appeal is unsuccessful, the toilets will have to be removed."