The decision comes after residents expressed a significant level of dissatisfaction with public amenities in successive annual customer surveys.

A focus group with 48 participants was run to find out people's specific concerns.

About 58per cent of the participants identified at least one toilet location which caused them concern.

These were mainly in shopping centres such as Castle Mall, Castle Towers and Kenthurst Village and at Carlingford train station.

Other locations nominated were either not in the shire or were not owned by the council.

The major concerns expressed were that there was a lack of toilets at some locations or that they were not open, not maintained, not clean or were unsafe to use.

A staff workshop also raised concerns that most facilities were 30 to 40 years old.

While mostly serviceable, they were not very ``inviting'' to users, and had poor lighting and ventilation.

The council conducted an audit, which recommended replacement of the amenity buildings which are located at A.H.Whitling Park at Castle Hill, Kellyville Park and Kenthurst Park.

The audit recommended demolition of toilets on the eastern side of Les Shore Reserve, where there is another facility that was recently upgraded at a total cost of about $430,000.

The council also allocated $15,000 for the design of a new amenities building at Kenthurst Park.