A TOILET block which one Wangaratta woman says resembles a “dungeon” could soon be revamped, with Woolworths Wangaratta currently awaiting planning approval to completely replace the public facilities.

The supermarket giant lodged a planning application with the Rural City of Wangaratta in December last year, with an eye to improving the store’s car park and facilities, including a full replacement of the existing bathroom.

Council has since sought further information from the applicant, with the application to be displayed for public notice and referrals pending further discussions.

Annette Filipek, a Wangaratta resident for a quarter of a century, recently expressed concerns about the cleanliness of the existing facility, which she said failed to appropriately cater to the local population.

She said toilet block in the town’s major shopping sprawl was a particularly important facility for elderly community members managing their continence.

“It’s really hard because they’re horrid,” she said of the existing Woolworths block.

“It’s like going into a dungeon – the walls and floors are dirty, I don’t think they’ve ever been scrubbed.

“Because I’ve got diverticulitis, if I’ve got to go, I’ve got to go, and other people have other bowel problems or urinary problems – that’s why toilets are available.

“The toilet rolls holders are broken, so even if somebody wanted to put toilet paper in there, where are they going to hang it? From the ceiling?

“If it’s on the ground, what diseases are going to be passed on, to women especially?”

A Woolworths spokesperson said the Wangaratta branch currently employed a third-party cleaning company to maintain the public facilities, noting the bathrooms were cleaned daily and locked overnight.

“We’re saddened to see that public amenities have been treated this way,” the spokesperson said.

“We’ve been in discussions with the Rural City of Wangaratta and we’re diligently awaiting council planning approval for upgrades to commence.”

Ms Filipek has been vocal about improving accessibility in the rural city in recent months, and while she lauded the majority of public toilet facilities in Wangaratta, she said action was needed to improve the town’s cleanliness overall.

“My husband and I go around little country towns for a day out, and I’ve never come across anything as dirty as Wangaratta,” she said.

“In our day when we were younger, everything was clean, everything was lovely."