£235k funding sees Changing Places facility added to public toilets in South Leicestershire
A new accessible toilet facility has been installed at a park in South Leicestershire at a cost of £235,000.
Improvements to the block, in Welland Park in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, have been made by Harborough District Council, which invested £47,000 into the project. Money from developers made up £100,000 of the bill, while the remaining £88,000 was provided by disability charity Changing Places UK.
The group campaigns to increase the accessibility of toilets in public venues and to ensure everyone can use them in safety and comfort. It has helped install specialist toilets in several locations across the country, to cater for over a quarter of a million people in the UK that need Changing Places Toilets to enable them to get out and about and enjoy the day-to-day activities.
The Welland Park loo is the first Changing Places toilet in the district. Features include a height adjustable changing-table and associated hoist, non-slip flooring, reduced ceiling height, privacy screens and generous ‘manoeuvring’ space.
Councillor Jonathan Bateman, Harborough District Council’s Cabinet Lead for Open Spaces, said: “We are pleased to be able to deliver toilets for the community that are practical, sustainable and environmentally friendly. This project shows we are continuing to improve inclusivity and accessibility for everyone in the Harborough district.”
The park toilets have been closed for rennovations since November last year. It also features a spacious baby-changing room is featured in both the male and female toilets.
The council added that it was exploring the possibility of securing further Changing Places funding for similar facilities to be added in other locations across the district.
An accessible toilet facility has also been installed in Weston-super-Mare thanks to North Somerset Council’s successful bid for its share of the government’s Changing Places fund scheme.
