Changing Places Toilets: planning guide

Introduction

This document aims to provide further information on Changing Places Toilets (CPTs) and offers guidance to those considering installing a CPT in both existing and new buildings.

This guidance document has been produced in collaboration with PAMIS (Promoting a more inclusive society) who are co-chairs and co-founders of the Changing Places Consortium and offer expert advice on CPTs in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is committed to working with disabled people to develop policies and

the approaches required to solve problems and dismantle barriers. We are proud to be drawing on the vast lived experience that PAMIS brings.

PAMIS’S Changing Places Toilets report 2021 highlights that there are currently just under 250 CPTs in Scotland. Once a CPT is registered with PAMIS – Scotland’s representative of the Changing Places Consortium – details are uploaded on the Consortium’s interactive map. Other organisations, such as Euan’s Guide, may contain further details on CPT provision within certain venues or locations.

Background

Changing Places Toilets (CPTs) are larger accessible toilets designed to meet the needs of disabled people who need carer support and

require specialist equipment – in many cases they may be living with multiple and complex disabilities.

They offer adequate space for a disabled person when they are not in their wheelchair, as well as space for their wheelchair and one or two carers; and contain equipment to enable safe and easy use of the facilities, including an adult-sized, height- adjustable changing bench, a ceiling track and a centrally placed peninsular toilet.

Without such facilities, disabled people and their families are often excluded from activities or even prevented from going out altogether.

Having to use unsuitable facilities due to the lack of fully accessible toilets also increases the risk of disabled people, and their carers or assistants, compromising their health and dignity.

The right to sanitation, and by extension toilet provision, is a human right. This right is ratified in international law under Article 11 of the United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

CPTs make a real difference to disabled people and their families and we want to encourage the development and provision of more CPTs across Scotland.

The Scottish Government amended the Scottish Building Regulations legislation in 2019 to make it the law that CPTs were built in all new large public buildings. These provisions are detailed in the Building standards technical handbook 2020. At the same time, we also amended our Planning System to include these amended building regulations and further detail can be found within the Planning Circular 1/2020: Changing Places Toilets Regulations.