No Place To Spend A Penny

Bulldozers demolish the Turnham Green's disused toilet block

Turnham Green residents were in high spirits on Monday 15th March when bull dozers set about demolishing the derelict toilets on Turnham Green.

Commenting on their removal Rebecca Frayn, Chair of Friends of Turnham Green told ChiswickW4.com, "Residents have campaigned for their demolition for the past six years, but it wasn't until Cllr John Todd came on board to help that the council finally took action."

The Friends group are hoping to re landscape the area and eventually establish a wild flower planting there which would provide a nature corridor between the Gunnersbury Triangle Nature Reserve and Dukes Meadows.

Rebecca added, "Turnham Green is a very popular recreational area for local residents and office workers. Because of the town hall and
Christ Church, it's also one of the key civic faces of the borough. So we're thrilled - and very grateful to Cllr Todd for all his help. "

The decision to demolish the toilet block was taken by the Chiswick Area Monitoring Committee last October bringing an end to the deliberations which began in 2002.

Suggestions for alternative uses had included a café, artist studios, tourist information and a refreshment kiosk. None of the schemes were deemed viable as the facilities were either too small or not suitable or inappropriate.

The building and the section of land on which it sits is owned by the Council although the remainder of Turnham Green common is owned by the Church Commissioners of the Church of England.

March 16, 2010