A CASH-STRAPPED Scottish council is advertising a public toilet for sale as a potential home.
The gents' and ladies' public toilet comes with council land and is being touted as a great housing opportunity.
Clackmannanshire Council has included the stone-clad public toilets in a catalogue listing 14 properties it is considering selling to raise funds.
The toilets, in the conservation village of Clackmannan, are described as a `residential conversion opportunity'' and would be sold along with the land behind it, which is four times the area of the toilets.
The council says it believes the toilets could be converted into a one-bedroomed dwelling, and will be sold with a price reflecting its potential.
Development services boss Gary Dallas said: ``At the moment, we are just testing the water by making it known we would consider an offer for the public toilets.
``We want to make sure we get the best deal for it, and will sell it at a price reflecting its possibilities.
``The last thing we want is to sell it as a toilet, at a knock down price, only for the buyer to turn it into a home and make a huge profit themselves.
``People are often accusing councils of wasting money and we are being inventive in our way of trying to make some, and hope people will appreciate what we are trying to do.''
The public toilets have proved a real eyesore for villagers.
It is constantly targeted by vandals and, because of council budget cuts, cannot be manned constantly.
Now the council says it might be better to sell it off than pour money into refurbishing it because of the threat of vandalism.
Mr Dallas said: ``Ideally we would like to maintain it, but without the money to staff it round the clock, there is always the very real risk it will just get vandalised again.
``There are other public toilets in the village at the new community facility but they are not open 24 hours.''
Already the catalogue of council properties, just released, has attracted more than 60 inquiries.
The council is refusing to say how many have targeted the toilets as a priority, although it admits to being surprised by the number of people showing an interest.
And it claims it would sell the building still standing instead of demolishing it and simply selling off the land.
Mr Dallas said: ``We would prefer to see the building extended and converted for residential use rather than someone demolishing the toilet and placing a new building on the site.
``And we do not see why we should pay for demolishing the building before we sell it when we could sell it all in one.''
Clackmannanshire Council claims the idea of selling a public toilet for housing is not new.
Public toilets in Falkirk were sold to a property developer two years ago and turned into a one-bedroomed dwelling.
Mr Dallas said: ``It may attract a few jokes from locals, having someone living in a converted toilet, but when it is converted, it will look nothing like a local convenience.
``We think it has great potential.''
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