Public Toilets in Park Project Update – September 2024

These facilities will be designed to be fully accessible and inclusive, including:

• A Changing Places toilet facility

• An Equality Act-compliant cubicle

• Individual cubicles

• A small storage room for tools and water, to support the Friends group in maintaining and watering the new trees in the park

Café Kiosk Consideration

As part of our initial plans, we explored the possibility of including a small café kiosk. This was intended to enhance supervision and reduce the risk of anti-social behaviour and vandalism of the toilet facilities.

However, we encountered a legal constraint: the Edinburgh District Council Order Confirmation Act 1991 prohibits the construction of facilities like cafés in public parks. While public conveniences are allowed, the inclusion of a café kiosk is not in line with this legislation.

Next Steps and Design Changes

We have consulted with legal experts to fully understand its implications for the proposed developments. As a result of this, the Project Board deemed the inclusion of a café kiosk in a public convenience not aligning with current legislation regulations.

Given these constraints, we have encountered certain challenges that required us to adapt and respond swiftly. We are now working closely with Healthmatic to modify the design to comply with current legislation and finalise the design before moving into the manufacturing phase. Our goal is to ensure that the new facilities meet the needs of the community while adhering to all legal requirements.

Project Timeline

We expect to have the new facilities installed by the first quarter of 2025. Once the design revisions are complete, an updated project timeline will be available on our website.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about the project, please reach out to us at thrivinggreenspaces@edinburgh.gov.uk. We aim to respond as quickly as possible, though response times may vary based on the complexity of your enquiry.