£287,000 to improve toilets in Hereford

Herefordshire Council’s recent bid to the Department for Levelling Up, Homes and Communities for Changing Places funding to improve public toilet facilities was successful.

The £287,000 award will allow three new accessible facilities to be developed.

One will be installed at the Courtyard theatre in Edgar Street, another at Aspire Living’s community hub in Canal Road. The third, within Maylord Orchards shopping precinct, will complement the new library and learning resource centre due to open in spring 2024.

Changing Places toilets help 10 million people in England and Wales enjoy the day-to-day activities most people take for granted. Their generous size means they can accommodate a height-adjustable changing bench, peninsular toilet and grab rails along with a ceiling hoist that allows wheelchair users to use the facilities in safety and comfort.

Construction on the new toilets will begin as soon as possible to ensure they’re ready for people to use no later than April 2024.

Applications were limited to a maximum of three new toilet facilities. Those submitted by the council fulfilled all government’s conditions. Being awarded the full amount applied for makes the £287,000 awarded to Herefordshire the largest allocation made in this round of funding.