We’re looking to introduce a brand new public toilet facility and café to The Level.
Councillors will discuss proposals to refurbish the MacLaren Pavilion at the City Environment, South Downs & The Sea Committee on 14 November.
The MacLaren Pavilion is an existing period building sitting on the Ditchling Road side of The Level.
The proposals include plans to renovate the building into a fantastic new café and accessible public toilet facilities.
If approved, we’ll seek planning permission to go ahead with the work.
We closed the The Level public toilets in 2022 due to significant issues with the building. The toilets were also subject to high levels of criminal and anti-social behaviour.
We’re exploring options for what to do with this building, but the financial commitment is very significant.
We understand the need for public toilets in the area and identified the MacLaren Pavilion as a suitable alternative site to be able to restore this vital public amenity.
The MacLaren Pavilion was named after Captain Bertie Hubbard MacLaren who redesigned The Level in the 1920s.
By investing in The Level and repurposing the pavilion building, we’re enhancing this well-loved green space which is used by residents from all over the city.
Our proposal for the new toilet facilities include 2 standard toilets, a family room and an accessible toilet.
They'll be fitted out to the same high standard as the toilets recently refurbished as part of our public toilet refurbishment programme. Read more about the programme in our newsroom.
The multi-use building will create a ‘natural surveillance’ to deter anti-social behaviour and criminal activity through increased footfall in the area.
If agreed at committee, the proposal is then subject to planning approval.
Residents and businesses will have the opportunity to share their views as part of the planning process.
We’re proposing that the new toilets are cleaned and maintained by the café tenant as a cost neutral option for the council.
The lease and rent payable will reflect this arrangement.
Councillor Tim Rowkins, Chair of the City Environment, South Downs and The Sea Committee, said: “The Level has been without a public toilet for too long, and we are very pleased to be bringing forward a new proposal to restore this essential facility.
“The Level is one of our largest open green spaces in the city centre, and it is vital that families with children, people with disabilities or health conditions and the elderly to have a public toilet facility available to them at this location.
“The condition of the building housing the old Velo Café and toilets means that it will require very substantial work to bring it back to life, and that is unfortunately not currently a viable option.
“We urgently need to restore these amenities and the MacLaren Pavilion is the perfect alternative for providing public toilets quickly.
“Having been re-awarded its prestigious Green Flag for 2023/24, we hope new toilets and an exciting new café will attract old and new visitors to The Level.”
