A council push for a Lisburn city public toilet has been flushed away amid a potential £300k price tag to spend a penny

The local authority had been urged to build new facilities in Bow Street with only four council toilets in a district of more than 150,000 people.

However, the regeneration committee unanimously voted for a museum toilet upgrade instead after an Alliance proposal for a new build. which was supported by Sinn Fein, was defeated.

Alderman Allan Ewart said: “We have waited a long time for this report to come to the chamber. “It is not what I had wanted, but it is a good start and there will be another review at a later date when the refurbishment is done of the Linen Museum toilets. “I would also ask that we look at opening hours as there can be at times no toilets open at night.”

The council committee was provided with three options - a refurbishment at Lisburn Square, an upgrade of the Irish Linen Museum or to buy or lease a vacant unit within the city centre to fit out a new public toilet.

The council report indicated a total capital cost in the region of £100,000 to £300,000 depending on the option chosen.

Councillor Nicola Parker said: “In April 2024 we all supported the need for a new toilet on Bow Street, there is no toilet in our city centre.

“There are units available in the city centre to develop.

“The option for a new city centre toilet is what the public and councillors had asked for.

“We have a duty of care for all of our residents.”

Alderman James Baird added: “I would support the option to refurbish the Linen Museum toilets, to take that step first and look at what we can do next after that.”

A council officer responded: "We will be able to expedite this refurbishment with internal resources in our capital programme.

“There is a need to have it modernised and we can now bring that forward with a review of public toilets taken again at a later date.”