The new architect-designed public conveniences at Silver Street in Cambridge’s historic city centre have been officially opened to the public by the Mayor of Cambridge, Cllr Maria Cleminson, and the Leader of Cambridge City Council, Cllr Katie Thornburrow.
The new toilets, owned and operated by Cambridge City Council, were designed by award-winning architects firm Gort Scott, to replace toilets on the same site dating back to the 1980s, which were prone to flooding and identified as being in need of modernisation.
Silver Street Bridge, opposite Queens’ College and overlooking the Mill Pond, is a listed location which attracts many visitors to the city, and the new toilets have been carefully designed to meet the needs of many thousands of international visitors each year and to fit in seamlessly with their historic surroundings.
At street level on the bridge, a new lightweight metal structure houses a wheelchair accessible WC accessed by RADAR key, plus baby-changing facilities.
Below street level, the main redeveloped toilets area is accessed through an entry gate system and down some stairs enclosed by decorative metal railings.
As well as standard toilet facilities, three squat-style flushing toilets, which are preferred by some international visitors, are available.
There will be a charge of £1 for users to gain access to the toilets. Revenue will help cover the costs of cleaning, maintenance and staffing, and the small fee will help discourage misuse of the facilities.
The scheme includes two help points and CCTV of public areas to support safe and effective operation of the turnstiles and the wider facility. The accessible toilet is also fitted with a two-way talk-back system to support users in the event of an emergency. All equipment has been carefully positioned to ensure user privacy is fully maintained.
Back at street level, the new toilet building also contains features to encourage biodiversity, with bat and bird boxes, and spaces for solitary pollinating insects. There is also a publicly accessible water bottle refill fountain, and new wooden benches have been installed nearby.
Cllr Martin Smart, Cabinet Member for Nature, Open Space and City Services, said: “The new Silver Street toilets really enhance the cityscape in this historic and much-visited part of the city, and will provide a modern, well-managed facility for thousands of the visitors we welcome to Cambridge each year.
“The design prioritises safety, accessibility, and user confidence in its busy city-centre setting and demonstrates how high-quality contemporary design can successfully integrate with a sensitive historic setting while delivering lasting civic, environmental, and social value.”
