Erskineville restaurant owners, residents fight plans for 24-hour town centre toilet

Plans for new public toilet in Sydney’s inner city have residents up in arms, fearing a spike in crime and concerns it could put diners at nearby restaurants off their food. Have your say.

A concept plan of the new toilet.

Erskineville residents and shop keepers are kicking up a stink over plans for a new 24-hour public toilet in the town centre.

The City of Sydney is facing staunch opposition over plans to install an automatic toilet block at Erskineville Square which residents fear could cause “anti-social behaviour” and attract “vagrants”.

The $413,270 amenities block would be located on council land opposite a pilates studio, the Full Moon restaurant and Erskineville Dry Cleaners.

Plans state the toilets would “provide accessible facilities to the public” and assist in “serving the needs” of residents and visitors.

But dozens of people have written to the council calling for the project to be scrapped, claiming it would be “detrimental” to the atmosphere of the town centre.

Daniel Stephens, the owner of Full Moon Thai in Erskineville pointing to where the toilets have been proposed from the corner of his restaurant's outdoor eating area. Photo: Odessa Blain.

A photo of the outdoor dining area at Full Moon.

Full Moon restaurant owner Daniel Stephens has concerns it could send “smells” wafting through the shopping strip and put customers dining outdoors “off their food”.

“It’s 6m away from the restaurant and it’s not the right spot for a toilet,” he said.

“You’ve got people eating outside and imagine having a toilet out there while you’re eating good food. The smell, the way it’s kept. It’ll be a turn off for people. There’s also the issue of hygiene and how it’s going to be kept.

“Drug use is a major issue around here – don’t get me wrong we have a mixed culture, but it’s a factor we have to consider.

The Full Moon restaurant is located six metres from the proposed toilet facility.

Simon Do, the owner of Erskineville dry cleaners in Erskineville outside his business protesting where public toilets have been proposed. Photo: Odessa Blain.

“What is going to be the use of the toilet that can be accessed 24/7? Everyone is saying it’s in the wrong spot.”

Resident Simon Miller also objected to the toilet blocks due to concerns it could “attract rodents” into Erskineville.

In her submission, Catherine Bass Kendzy wrote the toilets could encourage “crime and anti-social behaviour” including “drug taking and sex acts”.

Anita Gluyes in another submission said it would be “horrible” for the community.

A concept image of the toilet.

“Public toilets always end up manky and stinky no matter how many times they are cleaned,” she said. “Revolting. I would rather use a bush than use the public toilets.”

Councillor Linda Scott took the contentious issue to the latest City of Sydney council meeting, calling for councillors to register their formal opposition to the toilets.

A majority of councillors voted against it, including Mayor Clover Moore who said locals had previously approached her calling for a toilet in the town centre, including “local residents who want to have a pee”.

Ms Scott noted there had been a previous proposal for a toilet in the same location which was previously rejected before the current development was lodged. She called for the current proposal to be “urgently withdrawn”.

“It’s placed in a very central location right out the front of business who have struggled to survive during the pandemic and want nothing like a public toilet sitting right in front of their businesses,” Ms Scott said.

A concept image of the new toilet facility.

Planning documents for the toilet state the potential for anti-social behaviour would be reduced by its prominent location on a busy village high street. Routine maintenance would also be carried out.

“Restaurants, pubs and other commercial shop fronts are all close by. This provides excellent passive surveillance as well as regular pedestrian traffic passing the site. It is therefore considered that anti-social behaviour is unlikely to occur,” the plans state.

A draft concept plan showing where the toilets would be located in Erskineville Square.

The public stink over the toilet blocks has become an election issue with Labor’s candidate for Newtown David Hetherington saying it would “undoubtedly harm the business prospects of the cafe, the dry and the pilates studio that front the square’’.

The nearest public toilets are currently located at Erskineville train station but are only open as late as 7pm on weekdays and 4pm on Sundays, while public toilets at Erskineville Oval are 450 metres away and only open during daylight hours.

Ms Scott said the demand for public toilets at Erskineville could also be met with a new toilet facility being built at the upgraded Erskineville train station which the public will be able to access without having to use an Opal card.

The proposal has been lodged by QMS Media in connection with an agreement it has with the City of Sydney for its ‘street furniture and outdoor media services’ program.

The proposal remains under assessment by the City of Sydney.