The City of Melbourne proposed to install a new public toilet on Faraday Street in Carlton in response to community requests, following the decommissioning of the underground heritage toilet in the same street. Following an initial round of consultation in 2019 on the proposal to install a public toilet on the median strip of Faraday Street, west of the intersection with Lygon Street, Council identified another three potential locations and asked the community to identify their preferred location.

This second round of consultation ran from 29 May to 13 July 2020, and proposed these locations:

• Location 1: Faraday Street at the Cardigan Street intersection (east side)
• Location 2: Faraday Street at the Lygon Street intersection (west side).
• Location 3: Faraday Street between Lygon and Drummond streets (midblock adjacent to decommissioned toilet).
• Location 4: Faraday Street at Drummond Street intersection (west side).

Information on the project and consultation opportunities was shared across local networks and communities, including visual displays in shops and the Kathleen Syme Community Centre and library. Community members were able to contribute their feedback via:

• online and printed survey
• email submission
• a community session.

Location 3 (Faraday Street between Lygon and Drummond streets, adjacent to decommissioned toilet) was the most popular choice and received the most comments.

Respondents who selected Location 3 as their preferred location generally felt that this location would cause the least disruption to the area; it also seemed to make more sense as a public toilet had been there previously.

Location 2 (Faraday Street at the Lygon Street intersection, west side) number of received the second most comments. Respondents who selected Location 2 as their preferred option did so for its proximity to amenities such as shops, where high concentrations of people gather and move.

Comments about Location 1 (Faraday Street at the Cardigan Street intersection, east side) generally expressed the opinion that the main benefit of this location was its proximity to shops and restaurants, without being directly in front of them. Additionally, respondents felt it was well located for public transport users, and that it would cause less aesthetic intrusion than other locations.

The least number of comments were made about why respondents selected Location 4 as their preferred option, offering varied reasons.

The most common themes that emerged from why people chose a particular location were:

• Proximity to shops, public transport and other amenities that drew foot traffic and crowds.
• Proximity to residential properties – most respondents objected to having the new public toilet close to where people live.
• How the new public toilet will impact the surrounding area, visually as well as socially. The level of disruption that will be caused by the installation of a new toilet.

With the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 realised and in order to prioritise the recovery of businesses in the area, the project was placed on hold for 2021-2022 financial year.

The consultation findings and a recommendation to install a new public toilet on Faraday Street in Location 3 was put to Council and approved at the 26 July meeting.

Location 3 is close to existing infrastructure and services to support installation and reduce costs, as well as providing easy and safe access for Lygon Street foot traffic. Two car and seven motorcycle parking spaces will be lost which are currently located on the northern side of the decommissioned heritage public toilet.

Detailed design work has commenced and, subject to relevant approvals from other authorities, the toilet will be installed by April 2023.