Farnham toilet project delayed by mystery cables

The £900,000 Gostrey Meadow toilet project in Farnham has been delayed by six weeks due to the discovery of unidentified cables. The situation has caused the Farnham Town Council to face additional costs estimated between £20,000 and £40,000.

A stalemate occurred between the council, contractors, and SSEN as officials attempted to determine the ownership and status of the cables. The Ministry of Defence confirmed the cables do not belong to them, and SSEN was unable to perform tests because they do not own the infrastructure.

To move forward, the council plans to build around the cables while maintaining access for potential future owners. Due to difficulties finding specialized liability insurance for the situation, the council has proposed self-insuring from its reserves to allow work to continue. The additional costs are expected to remain within the project's existing contingency fund.