CAMPAIGNERS are launching a bid to save Walton’s Mill Lane loos by applying for listed building status for the 19th century structure.

We Want a Wee campaigners have applied to English Heritage to protect what used to be a fire station saying the building is of architectural and historic significance.

The next stage is to gain access to the inside to take photographs of its original fixtures.

But Steven Walker, who is spearheading the campaign, fears Tendring Council might “inadvertently” jeopardise the application.

He said: “My fear is they will sabotage the application by ignoring my request for access to take internal photographs because they realise this might might hold up plans for future development.”

His fears are also the building being “allowed to decay,” and eventually demolished.

With the building being inside the Walton town conservation area, Steven said the potential of developing 14 dwellings on the site “contradicts and flies in the face of the council’s own policy”.

But Tendring Council said even if the building is listed it “will not affect” its public conveniences strategy, “nor will it reverse the decision to cease using part of the building as a public toilet”.

Steven added: “Many people in the town would be horrified to realise part of their heritage could be lost as a result.

“The latest plans include the toilets and adjacent land as designated for the development of 14 dwellings which means this historic building, housing the toilet facility, will be demolished.

“They must not be allowed to get away with this cultural vandalism and prevent the toilets re-opening in the future at the same time.”

The council decided to close the Mill Lane toilets due to age, condition and high maintenance costs, as well as the proximity of other toilet blocks.

The decision was made as part of the public conveniences strategy which detailed plans to close ten public loos but reinvest the savings into improving some of the remaining 30.

A spokesman for Tendring Council said: “As with our other closed toilet sites, conversations are ongoing with interested parties about the future of the Tendring Council-run part of the building.

“If a community group seeks to have the Mill Lane site listed on architectural grounds then we would give advice on this process, though not necessarily support such a bid - this would need further assessment by us."

READ MORE: TEN TOILET BLOCKS LOST IN NEW YEAR CULL