Changing Places toilet approved for Brighton park

A Changing Places toilet – for people with disabilities – can be built in a Brighton park after councillors approved a planning application yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 7 February).

The building will be a modular pre-fab (pre-fabricated) building, partly constructed off-site and placed on a concrete base near the Rotunda café at the southern end of Preston Park.

The toilet, with changing facilities and a shower, will also be near the pavilion used by Whoopsadaisy, a charity providing services for babies and children with movement disorders such as cerebral palsy.

A pull-out screen between shower and changing table would offer some privacy and the plans indicate plenty of manoeuvring room for those using motorised wheelchairs.

The plans, submitted by Brighton and Hove City Council, include a tarmac path to cross an area that is currently grass – between The Ride and a main path through the park.

The council said that it had consulted Muscular Dystrophy UK and park “friends” groups as well as local businesses on the proposals before submitting the plans.

Eight objections to the proposals were sent to the council’s planning department, with gripes including the “terrible” design, while two letters were sent in support of the scheme.

A design and statement – submitted as part of the planning application – said: “A modular construction method has been proposed due to the speed of construction and quality control that it offers.

“The design team feel that, in a busy park environment, off-site modular construction is a method that will most reduce disruption to park users.

“Design choices have been influenced in relation to anti-social behaviour that unfortunately occurs around public toilets and cafés at sites such as this.

“Brickwork on the exterior elevations, with transparent anti-graffiti paint, will be used to minimise vandalism, including graffiti, compared to other façade materials. A pitched roof will discourage trespassing, compared with a flat alternative.

“Windows, rather than be omitted altogether due to the risk of vandalism, have been added as skylights, to allow natural light into the unit.”

When the council’s Planning Committee met yesterday, councillors were told that the Conservation Advisory Group (CAG) objected to the plans although, unusually, no one from the group was at the meeting.

The CAG said: “The group notes the proposed conditions re the materials used for the elevations but nevertheless does not consider the design to be of a standard which preserves the character of this grade II listed park.

“The plain steel doors and squat proportions, for example, give the building the character of a bunker entrance rather than a heritage asset.”

Councillors did not call the application for debate so it went through “on the nod”.

Changing Places toilets are for people with profound physical and/or learning disabilities who have specific needs that a standard disabled toilet does not offer.

Two years ago, the council was awarded £330,000 by the government to fund eight Changing Places toilets, with a benchmark cost of £40,000.

The council said: “Changing Places are toilets with enough space for disabled people and their carers.

“They are for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and their carers as well as the many other disabled people who cannot use standard accessible toilets.”

The council’s environment department has also submitted plans to the council’s planning department for permission for a similar Changing Places toilet in St Ann’s Well Gardens. A decision is due by the end of the month.

And a Changing Places toilet is also included in plans for a new public toilets block in the Royal Pavilion Gardens.

The council’s website said that the council was responsible for Changing Places toilets in four places in Brighton