YORK'S splash palace is set to be knocked down after its toilets close to the public next year.

The building, at the south end of Parliament Street, opened amid a blaze of controversy in 1992 as part of a wider revamp of the city centre.

But it drew much criticism from locals and tourists, and the state of the toilets there has been a constant source of dismay.

As previously reported in The Press, the loos are to be replaced by a new block which is to be provided in Silver Street, off Newgate Market.

Council leader Steve Galloway today said the building was unlikely to be retained, but said the future of the site was not yet clear.

He said: "No decisions have been made about the future of the Parliament Street site. It is likely that the building will be demolished. We will be looking for an imaginative design solution and one that is at least financially self-supporting.

"The relationship of the site to the proposed developments on Piccadilly will be an important factor."

He did, however, pour immediate cold water on a suggestion by cycling campaigner Paul Hepworth that the site should be used as an underground area for bikes. Coun Galloway said: "It is unlikely that the site will be used for storage or parking facilities."

The splash palace cost £295,000 when it was built, as part of the £1.5 million scheme to pedestrianise and refurbish Parliament Street. But many people said the building was a "Clochemerle-style" extravagance, comparing it to the French novel which dealt with the row over plans to install a new urinal in the village square.

There was also controversy over the cost of using the new toilets, with women being charged 10p to spend a penny, while men went free. More recently, the building was mooted as a possible site for a new visitors' information centre.

Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of York Tourism Bureau told The Press last week: "If the current Parliament Street building is removed, then this location provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase what the city has to offer and we'd welcome the opportunity to contribute to that discussion."