More public toilets in Hereford are to be converted into temporary sleeping “pods” for homeless people.

The six public loos, accessed individually from East Street near the junction with Broad Street, have been closed for several years, having previously been plagued by anti-social behaviour.

Herefordshire Council has now applied to itself for planning permission (case number 240949) to convert them into three separate bed/living rooms, each with a WC and shower.

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Their outside would get a new brick facing, and the building’s pitched roof re-tiled.

The council is already seeking permission for a similar re-purposing of public toilets at nearby Union Street, beside St Peter’s Church.

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Responsibility for both toilets was passed from the county to Hereford city council ten years ago.

But after “persistent vandalism”, the city council concluded that they “had become more trouble and expense than they are worth”, the planning application says.

“The East Street toilets were highlighted as being in a very unclean state during their period of operation, and many people would not use them in such poor condition,” it adds.

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The city’s community toilet scheme, which allows the public to use facilities in food and drink outlets, “now gives the public good access to toilets” including at later hours, while several supermarkets in the city also have free toilets, the application points out.

Temporary homeless pods of the county council’s own design have already been deployed over the past winter at the Symonds Street car park in the city, and briefly at the county bus station.

The latest application can be commented on via the council webpage until June 7.