'Changing Places' toilets approved for Sunderland's Herrington Country Park and Roker Park

Plans to make two popular Wearside parks more accessible for people with disabilities have been given the stamp of approval.

Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee, at a meeting this week, approved applications for both Herrington Country Park and Roker Park.

This included the introduction of Changing Places toilets, which are designed to meet the needs of disabled children and adults with complex care needs.

According to a report discussed by Sunderland City Council’s ruling cabinet last year, standard accessible toilets are “unsuitable” for this group as they lack specialist equipment, such as hoists and privacy screens, and space for carers.

Separate planning applications for the two parks were submitted by Sunderland City Council last year, and followed a recent decision by city leaders to make Sunderland leisure venues and attractions more accessible.

According to submitted plans, the Changing Places facilities would offer several accessibility aids such as a ‘ceiling hoist and track’ and ‘height adjustable adult changing bench’, as well as a “wall mounted panel heater” and electric shower.

At Herrington Country Park, the facility is planned for land adjacent to the public toilet block and visitor car park.

At Roker Park, the facility is planned at the north of the park, near an existing public toilet block.

A cabinet report discussed by Sunderland City Council in March, 2023, said Sunderland’s Changing Places Toilet programme was “closely aligned” with key council plans.

This included Sunderland’s City Plan, Healthy City Plan and Health Inequalities Strategy.

Councillors, at the time, were told that the main objective of the Changing Places scheme was to “make public venues more accessible to all residents including those with physical and learning disabilities”.

A report presented to councillors this week stated the development would “provide an important facility for visitors to the park(s) with mobility issues and will complement the existing range of facilities available within the park(s)”.

It was also noted that the facilities would not negatively impact the Green Belt at Herrington Country Park, or heritage assets at Roker Park.

After being put to the vote, the planning applications won unanimous support from councillors at a meeting on February 5, 2024.

Councillor Melanie Thornton, chair of the Planning and Highways Committee, added: “We welcome such applications to make play areas more accessible to everyone”.