Bellingen Council has responded to criticism that a toilet block in Bellingen estimated to cost $200,000 was over-priced. (A letter to the Editor [Dec 23, 2008] claimed a c4-bedroom project home could be built for $153,000).

General Manager, Mike Colreavy told the Courier-Sun that council didn’t have a design for the toilet block yet, or for that matter, a precisely surveyed location for it. “So consequently the estimate is conceptual and needs to provide sufficient funding for possible associated works that might be required to blend the block into the Church Street precinct.”

“Although Council is acquiring the accessway to the Telstra site from the Crown by a compulsory acquisition process, the acquisition does not include the land on which the present toilet facility is located. Further action is underway to secure long term access to sufficient land on which to locate the toilet block. This was only commenced in late December so it is too early to say in what form this will occur or what any land cost will be,” Mr Colreavy said.

“There are still many loose ends to be tied up in the course of completing the toilet block project. Consequently it is entirely appropriate that, at this stage, Council works to a high end’ conceptual estimate which can be refined downwards as costs become clearer. If the possibility of a surplus becomes evident, Council would be seeking to have it directed towards another qualifying project,” he said.