Community set to benefit from improvement works at Tom Huyton Park in Radstock

 A raft of improvements to Tom Huyton Park and Somervale Gardens in Radstock are underway as part of a regeneration action plan for the town centre.

Bath & North East Somerset Council has worked with the town council on the installation of a Changing Places toilet which opened on Monday 20 November and has carried out works to improve entrance and pathways, drainage, resurfacing and fencing.

The Changing Places facility provides an area allowing wheelchair access, access for carers, and a safe, calming environment to help everyone enjoy their visit to the town. Radstock Town Council is currently upgrading the play equipment in Tom Huyton Park, including a chair swing already installed and a new multi-play unit and zip wire. Surfacing will also be repaired throughout the park.

In keeping with the town’s heritage, a bespoke train station with carriages and ticket office will display the original Radstock West station name. The platforms and timetable were formerly used by trains running through Radstock.

The park is also host to cycling activities through Bath & North East Somerset Council’s active travel social prescribing project The Active Way. Sustrans and All Cycles Bath and West are providing cycle confidence programmes, and inclusive cycling sessions which helps to give children and adults with health, learning and social needs the opportunity to get out on side-by-side and adaptive bikes.

The Radstock Regeneration Action Plan aims to make Radstock more vibrant and bring vacant buildings into use and is currently being consulted on via a survey on the town council website, which is open until 4 December. 

Councillor Paul Roper, cabinet member for Economic and Cultural Sustainable Development, said: “Parks support the health and wellbeing of residents and so we are very pleased to have worked with Radstock Town Council to develop Tom Huyton Park for wider use by the community. It’s especially important that people with disabilities are equally able to enjoy everything the area has to offer, which is why a Changing Places facility has been installed. The improved surfacing and access points support the inclusive cycling activities already happening at the park, as well as other walking, wheeling and cycling activities in future."

“Thank you to everyone who has contributed to these great improvements. I’d encourage residents to help us improve the whole town centre by having their say on the draft regeneration action plan."

Chris Dando, Mayor of Radstock Town Council, said: “It has been incredible how so many teams have pulled together to improve the site. We hope that the new features will make this a site that everyone can enjoy. It is lovely to see the plans that were put into place almost two years ago coming together. We look forward to welcoming back all who visit!”

The new Changing Places facility is registered with the Changing Places Initiative and is fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act. It includes a height adjustable changing table, hoist, as well as a sink and toilet. It has been funded by £54,500 from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Changing Places Fund alongside funding from the town council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Muscular Dystrophy UK, co-chair of the Changing Places Consortium which supports the rights of people with disabilities, has advised the councils on the installation of the facility.