PUBLIC toilets in Hamworthy could be combined with a new café as part of work to bring them back into use.

BCP Council leader Vikki Slade said the facilities at Lake Pier car park, which have been closed since last June, are “essentially condemned” due to their poor state.

But she said options for their future replacement were now being explored, including the possibility of them being opened in conjunction with a new café.

The public toilets were closed due to “extensive damage” to their electrics and problems with the roof of the block.

Last year they were included in the £500,000 council scheme to reopen facilities across Poole – the first major project announced by the ruling coalition following elections the previous month, after months of controversy for the previous administration over toilet closures.

At Tuesday’s meeting of the council, former councillor Graham Chandler asked Cllr Slade for an update on the progress of the scheme.

She said works were being organised around busier periods with toilets at the Quay already reopened – although they have been repeatedly targeted by vandals since.

Facilities at Poole Park are in the process of being refurbished while the Haven is due to be looked at in the autumn.

Cllr Slade said options for the Lake Pier toilets are now being considered.

“Rather than extensively refurbishing and reopening a toilet block which is potentially too large for its need, it could be linked with an adjacent café either in its current position or another part of the park,” she said.

“Work is also under way on potential design options together with contingency plans to reopen and refurbish the existing toilet block should an agreement not be reached.”

Because the car park partly falls within the Poole Harbour site of special scientific interest, any works require consultation with Natural England.

Cllr Slade said discussions on potential designs had already been begun while there was a contingency plan to reopen the existing block.