A second planning application for a new toilet block in Teignmouth’s Lower Point car park has received over 30 comments of objection.

Teignmouth Town Council initially obtained planning permission for the new toilet block in August 2022. However, the three-year authorisation lapsed in August 2025. Teignmouth Town Council subsequently submitted another application in November 2025.

Consultation on the current application is open until January 13 and Teignbridge is expected to reach a decision by the end of the month.

Despite the lapsed planning, a prefabricated building has already been delivered to the car park with work ongoing to bring the facilities online.

However, residents have complained that the building has resulted in the loss of much-needed parking spaces and that the design is not in keeping with the conservation area.

They are also unhappy that the new block only contains three toilets while the existing block in the Point car park has eight WCs and they are questioning why the council could not have simply refurbished the existing toilet building to add an accessible toilet.

Local business owners claimed that they had not been consulted or been aware of the previous permissions and were unhappy about the loss of parking.

‘Running a small seasonal business from the Point is not easy in the current financial climate and our main reason for cancelled bookings is from customers arriving in Teignmouth and not being able to park,’ said Teign Boat Hire. ‘For our council to exacerbate the problem beggars belief,’ it added.

The toilet block in the Lower Point car park is part of Teignmouth Town Council’s larger toilet project, which includes new facilities in the East Cliff and Quay Road car parks and on The Den as well as the refurbishment of the Lower Brook Street public conveniences.

Planning permission for the toilets in the East Cliff and Quay Road car parks had also lapsed last summer but subsequent planning applications have since been approved.

The new block for The Den opposite the pier was delivered in November with the toilets due to be opened before Christmas However, they remained behind wire fencing in early January. Visitors to the seafront and town centre have been using temporary facilities on the Den since the closure of the previous toilets when they were incorporated into the former Beachcomber, now Venus, restaurant. However, planning permission, which had already been extended, expired on December 31.

Elsewhere in Teignbridge, many public conveniences are at risk of permanent closure as the District Council seeks to divest assets to cut costs.