Toilets re-open at popular Harborough park after £235k facelift to make life easier for disabled people

Toilets in a popular Market Harborough park have re-opened after an expensive facelift to make life easier for disabled people.

The block in Welland Park has been renovated at a cost of £235,000.

The improvements have been made by Harborough District Council which invested £47,000 into the project. Money from developers granted planning permission for new housing schemes in the area made up £100,000 of the bill, while the remaining £88,000 was provided by disability charity Changing Place UK.

The group campaigns to increase the accessibility of toilets in public venues and to ensure everyone can use them “hygienically and with dignity”. It has helped install specialist loos in more than 1,700 location across the country.

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, the 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 off since November last year but are now open. A spacious baby-changing room is featured in both the male and female toilets.

The council also said it was exploring the possibility of securing further Changing Places funding for similar facilities to be added in other locations across the district.