Loo plans to make parks more accessible approved

One of the Changing Places toilets will be at Herrington Country Park

Plans for larger toilets with better facilities to make two city parks more accessible have been approved.

The applications, which include the introduction of Changing Places toilets at Sunderland's Herrington Country Park and Roker Park, were given the go ahead on Monday.

The toilets will include changing tables and showers.

Councillor Melanie Thornton said: “We welcome such applications to make play areas more accessible to everyone."

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

At Roker Park, the toilets will be at the north of the park, again near an existing public toilet block.

The new toilets will be situated at the north of Roker Park

The Changing Places toilets, which are designed to meet the needs of disabled children and adults with complex care needs, have been mandatory in new buildings since 2020.

According to submitted plans, the facility would offer accessibility aids including a ceiling hoist and track, an adult changing bench and an electric shower.

A report presented to councillors 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)”, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

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