Harborough to have first disabled adult changing place installed as part of £235,000 public toilet upgrade

Harborough is set to have its first disabled adult changing place installed when toilets in Welland Park undergo a £235,000 upgrade.

Work to improve the facilities will begin on November 7 and see the building fully refurbished and reconfigured.

It will include the first dchanging facility in the district and include specialist equipment including a height adjustable changing table and hoist, nonslip flooring, reduced ceiling height, privacy screens and manoeuvring space for disabled adults.

The building will also include baby change facilities in the male, female and accessible toilets.

Harborough District Council open spaces spokesman Cllr Jonathan Bateman 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.”

Some £100,000 of the money is being provided from Section 106 funding by housing developers. An extra £88,000 has come from Changing Place UK which helps create accessible changing space for adults and children with disabilities. There will also be £47,000 investment from the council.

The council-owned toilets will be closed until work is completed in February 2023, with the nearest public toilet at the Commons car park, or a toilet available for customers of the Welland Park café close by.

The council is now looking at securing more funding for similar changing places facilities elsewhere in the district.

Email [email protected] to make a suggestion about where to redevelop as a changing places facility.