Public toilets in Begents plan

December 10, 2025

A 20-year hunt to find a location for a public toilet in Scottsdale’s Victoria St appears finally over.

The group behind the old Begents building redevelopment have met with Dorset Council to discuss preliminary plans for their recent purchase, which incorporates the King St site as well as an adjoining weather board building on Victoria St.

Council has for more than two decades sought a site for public toilets in the precinct and even has the project listed in the Dorset Priority Projects Plan.

Developer Steve Simeoni said plans were progressing to develop the area and amenities would play a role.

“90,000 people drive through Scottsdale a year. Imagine if we can capture some of them to stop and spend time and money in the community,” Mr Simeoni said.

“It’s not the most glamorous thing but they serve a purpose. I think it is a great idea.

“We are thinking outside the square with shower facilities and accessible facilities and we have just done the same thing with the large Birchalls development for City Of Launceston with parenting rooms as well.”

Mr Simeoni said an announcement about an anchor tenant was also imminent, with a multinational fast food restaurant franchise interested in investing.

“We have also had discussions about offices, and we are close to signing a lease on a smaller space to a tenant,” Mr Simeoni said.

“85 per cent of people we have spoken to want something like a Begents back in the area so I have also spoken to a larger whitegoods franchise, and they are familiar with Scottsdale and are investigating whether they will invest, so fingers crossed.”

Mr Simeoni is also involved with his business partner in the redevelopment of the Lyric Theatre after buying that.

He said it was too premature to announce plans for the site as investigations were continuing into options for a large open space area.

“We have got to get our ducks in a row with building compliance because there is no insulation, the windows aren’t correct, it obviously doesn’t have floor in it, so there is a lot of work involved to bring it back up to scratch for public use,” he said.

“We are exploring possible uses to see what we can do for little money. We just
did X-golf in Launceston in a shed, you could have a bike pump track under a roof or put in portable containers for food trucks, a bit like the Hanging Garden in Hobart, with big tables and all open under the roof.

“There is also talk of a medical centre and also a form of Tasmanian providore with all Tasmanian produce.

“There are a lot of artists working out in the region so we could use the walls to display local artists which would be great.

“It might be a while before we decide but we didn’t pay a lot for the buildings so we just want what’s best for both those sites.”