Plans unveiled to restore listed public toilets

The plans to repair and renew the public toilets on John Street in Porthcawl town centre have been handed in to Bridgend County Borough Council.

If approved they could eventually see the public conveniences go through a “coordinated programme of conservation, repair and essential renewal works” in the coming years.

These could include works to repair structural and external walls at the site along with repairs to below-ground drainage, ceramic urinals, wash basins, and internal ceramic tiling and wall finishes.

They could  also see artificial roof coverings replaced with natural Canadian slate as well as the renewal of all lead flashings and weatherings to roof level.

The public conveniences located close to the town’s museum were built by Porthcawl Urban District Council in 1924.

They were later designated as Grade II in 1989 and are described as being “a rare, mostly unaltered, purpose-built example of their building type”.

The submission comes after a public consultation was carried out by the town council in 2024, to see what residents wanted done with the over 100 year old facility that was described as being in a poor state of repair.

Part of a heritage statement handed in with the plans said: “The proposed works represent a conservation-led programme of necessary repair to an actively used Grade II listed building.

“The proposals have been informed by a detailed understanding of the building’s condition and significance and adopt a repair-first, minimum intervention approach.

“They will safeguard significant historic fabric, address existing defects and support the positive and enjoyable future use of an important and rare public amenity building.”

The plans were handed in by Porthcawl Town Council in August of 2026 and will now be considered by the county borough’s council’s planning department in the coming months.

It comes just weeks after separate plans were rejected from a Welsh housing association, Codi Group, to build a new five storey apartment block at the site of a former John Street café.

This decision was made as both councillors and members of the public had concerns over height and scale of the proposed building as well as potential issues with a lack of parking – despite a recommendation for approval from council officers.