PUBLIC toilets in Dudley town centre will be moved to Castle Street as part of plans to revamp the market.

The new facility will be located in a retail unit, currently occupied by Levines Furniture store.

However the toilets will not affect the running of the furniture store, which will remain open in the adjacent unit.

Dudley planners approved the move at a Development Control Committee meeting on Monday (November 18).

But not all committee members believed that the new toilets would be in the best location for the majority of shoppers.

Cllr Tim Wright said he thought Wolverhampton Street would be a better location as it was the primary shopping area: “There are various empty units at that end that might be far better.”

Committee chairman, cllr Qadar Zada, responded: “Personally, I think wherever we put the toilets, it’s difficult.”

He said that while there was scope to look elsewhere, he suspected that some shoppers would be unhappy with the location, regardless of where they were placed and added: “The facility we have at the moment is poor to say the least.”

Cllr John Martin said: “It is unusual these days to find an outside toilet block, most facilities have been taken in house.”

The new toilets will include a baby changing facility and a small office for an attendant.

No closure or demolition of the current toilet block will take place until the permanent replacement facility is fully operational.