A DECADE after being singled out in Fremantle’s heritage festival for its colourful role in the port city’s development, the appeal of the outdoor dunny appears to be fading for up-sizing owners.

At this week’s planning committee, council staff recommend approval of a two-storey rear addition to a heritage-listed property on South Street which will result in the demolition of the outhouse.

The thunder box at 14 South Street is “in dangerous state of repair” says designer Sam Payne, who submitted the application on behalf of owner David Lucy. A neighbour who’d objected to the development say its removal is a “concern”.

The council agenda claims the neighbour’s concerns were addressed in council heritage planner Vanessa Collins’ report on the application, but the Chook scoured that and couldn’t find a single mention of any dunnies.

We asked whether its condition had been checked and why the discrepancy in the agenda, but hadn’t heard back before deadline.

Fremantle Society president Henty Farrar told the Herald it’s preferable to see outside toilets preserved and retained to maintain a property’s integrity, but modern lot sizes make it difficult. He says the condition of an outdoor toilet is not a good reason to approve its demolition.

by STEVE GRANT