Refurbishment of toilets at popular park set to begin

Harborough District Council will start refurbishing Market Harborough’s Welland Park existing toilet block from Monday 7 November with the work expected to be completed in February 2023.

The project is being funded with £100,000 from Section 106 funding, provided by developers for community infrastructure in areas where new homes have been built. It will also be funded with £88,000 from Changing Place UK which helps create improved, accessible changing space for adults and children with disabilities. There will also be £47,000 investment from the Council.

It will be the first Changing Places facility in the district, and will benefit from specialist equipment including a height adjustable changing table and associated hoist, nonslip flooring, reduced ceiling height, privacy screens and clear manoeuvring space.

The building will be fully refurbished and reconfigured, with baby change facilities in the male, female and accessible toilets, making it suitable for all needs.

And the Council is currently exploring the possibly of securing further Changing Places funding for similar facilities elsewhere in the district.

Cllr Jonathan Bateman, Harborough District Council’s Cabinet lead for open spaces, said: “This is a hugely popular park, and this project will provide much-needed improvements to the facilities for visitors. Our investment and grant funding will allow us to provide a much better space, with a Changing Places toilet. The building will also be designed to incorporate environmental features that improve efficiency and sustainability.”

In addition to the internal refurbishment there will be some external refurbishment including the roof which will be in keeping with the original building.

The Council-owned toilets will be not be open during the work, with the nearest public toilet at the Commons car park, or a toilet available for customers of the Welland Park café close by.

Changing Places UK aims to give people with disabilities access to safe, clean, and dignified public toilet facilities, to ensure they can participate inclusively in society.

If anyone has any suggestions about existing toilet facilities, or publicly accessible locations which could be redeveloped as future Changing Places facilities, please contact the Council by emailing customer.services@harborough.gov.uk

Pictured: The existing toilet block at Welland Park which is set for a major revamp.