Plans are in the pipeline to transform a run-down toilet block into a state-of-the-art super loo with Witham's share of a £275,000 windfall.

The high tech toilets, are set to be part-funded out of the cashpot given to Braintree Council by the developers of the Freeport shopping village.

Costing more than £75,000, the toilets will be complete with a rainwater recycling system, solar panel heating, disabled access and baby changing.

The old lavatories in Newland Precinct will be completely gutted to make way for the new facility.

Witham's £41,000 share of the Freeport cashpot will topped up with money from council's own budget to met the costs.

Braintree, which received £193,000 from the windfall, is intending to use it on giving its market square a make-over.

Phil Barlow, district and town councillor, said: "The reason this was picked was because a lot of people have pointedly criticised the existing toilets."

Witham Mayor Tom Hewitt said: "I am sure there are lots of people who feel it should have been spent on something else. But we were offered an improvement scheme for the toilets and if that was the offer, that's what we could take."

"If the money is used for this, we can spend our funds on something else."

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