Toilet Plan

St Mary's Church, Dymock

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Plans for the New Toilet - Update

When Dymock Church was built 925 years ago it wasn't the custom to provide a toilet, but today that facility is seen as essential, not only for the very young and elderly, but also for those who now come great distances for weddings and funerals, for those attending concerts in the church.... and for ordinary worshippers! (Return to top)

We tried to get a toilet inside the building, in the base of the tower, but regulations for Grade I listed buildings like ours made that impractical, so we've gone for a self-contained unit in the grounds. In October 2009 we instructed our then architect, John Goom, to produce initial sketches, but the PCC didn't like his first idea. However, we're pleased to accept his second, which is shown here. (Return to top)

It's a brick building with lime rendering to give a colour similar to the stones of the church itself, and it will have a slate or tiled roof. (Return to top)

In 2008 we had put a metal storage cabin in the grounds but now we've been told that, as we're in a conservation area, we won't be allowed two buildings, so the new building will have to be large enough for a toilet and a store, and the previous cabin resold. (Return to top)

The planned position is opposite the doors in the tower, under the trees that are already there, with a new path for access. (Return to top)

We submitted our architect's plan to the Forest of Dean District Council together with our application for Planning Permission and were told that, as we're in the area of a known Roman town, we had to get an 'Archeological Desk Survey'. That turned out to be a review by a professional archeologist of existing documents detailing all previous archeological finds in the district, but he reported that there was nothing previously found on our proposed site. (Return to top)

The Local Council then asked for a trial trench in the area of the foundations, dug by a professional archeologist who would look out for any signs of interesting fragments. That was done, but again no archeological remains were found. Finally they asked for a professional arboreal report detailing any potential damage to trees in the vicinity of the proposed building. That reported that there was no problem. (Return to top)

Planning permission therefore was granted in September 2009 but we have to start work within 3 years or it lapses - the cost of professional fees to get to that stage has been £5,783. In the meantime, our compulsory 5 year inspection survey of the church building was done and found £60,000 of necessary repairs (see Restoration Appeal), so the toilet is currently 'on hold' whilst we raise the funds and do those repairs (for details of progress, click here), but any monies already donated for building the toilet will be held in trust for that purpose until we can proceed again, which we hope will be in the spring of 2012. (Return to top)