Douglas councillors have backed plans to turn the stairwells of long-closed public toilets into planters.

A proposal from the environmental service committee includes the installation of public lighting on Queen’s Promenade walkway and the capping and conversion of the underground toilet stairwells into planters.

It is noted in the council agenda that a tender offer from Stephen Christian and Sons Ltd has been accepted as it was the ’lowest tender received which represents value for money’.

The agenda added: ’Members were reminded that approval had been given in January 2018 of £10,000 from general revenue reserves from the 2018/19 budget for sealing off the old Queen’s Promenade toilet.

’Approval of this tender would therefore require additional funding.’

No debate was held in Council, nor was any further information given as to how much extra money is needed for the tender.

The scheme was first referred to in 2017 when the Council sought permission to install its new coin activated toilet blocks on Queen’s promenade.

During its application for the new block, it is stated that as part of that scheme, the stairwell for the former toilets would be turned into planters.

The planning officer’s report said: ’The applicants stated that the existing underground toilets are disused and in a state of disrepair.’

They also indicate that there is no disabled access to them as there are two set of stairs and they are also classes as ’confined space’ and ventilation of the toilets are not suitable.

’There are also many cracks which cause the toilets to be constantly flooded.’