A proposal for new bothies and toilet and shower facilities on a tiny island off the coast of the Furness Peninsula has been revealed.
The plans would see the existing structures that serve the same functions on 50-acre Piel Island removed.
A design and access statement submitted as part of the application for listed building consent from Barrow Borough Council says the position of the facilities is currently ‘particularly unsympathetic’ to Piel’s Grade II listed Ship Inn.
The statement says the toilet block and bothies – basic shelters for sleeping – are angled in such a way that they ‘stand out at odds with the historic background’.
“Their location close to the landing for the ferry from Roa and positioning in relation to the views of the Ship Inn from the sea interrupts the natural lines of sight for visitors approaching the island on the ferry and from Roa Island,” says the statement.
“Functionally, the toilet facilities are currently not fit for purpose, and both the existing buildings [the toilet facility and the bothies] are damaging of the appreciation of the heritage of Piel Island.
“Their construction is of poor quality, with little thought to the details of the execution and generally low quality of finish.”
The buildings would be removed and replaced with a new building that connects to an existing stone barn on Piel and is located within the grounds of the Ship Inn.
Within each bothy, there would be two sleeping spaces – one at ground floor level and another at mezzanine level.
“The bothies are separated from the toilet facilities by external seating providing shelter,” says the design and access statement.
The building’s generator would be moved from temporary housing to the plant room of the new structure. A rainwater recycling tank would be introduced and used for toilet flushing.
The design and access statement, submitted by Architecture Uknown, says the materials chosen for the new building referenced the maritime history of the area.
“The pre-weathered, lime-washed timber and the stainless-steel roofing will have the same tones of white/grey as the Ship Inn’s scratch-coated render but will allow the new proposal to stand separately and the heritage of the Ship Inn to shine through,” it said.
