New café and toilets planned for central Brighton park

The Brighton park’s Velo Café and toilets were forced to shut due to constant vandalism, with councillors deciding earlier this year that the nearby Maclaren Pavilion would be a more suitable location for the facilities.

Now, plans have been submitted to Brighton and Hove City Council for the pavilion’s redevelopment with hope the new site will be less prone to vandalism.

“Natural surveillance is a design concept promoted by the Secured by Design initiative,” a statement in the planning application reads.

“The design of the split café and toilet use of the MacLaren Pavilion is to ensure all areas of the proposed refurbished building remain more publicly visible than is currently the case at the existing building.

“All doors and access routes to the toilets will open to the front of the building at a main point, which, along with the new café location, is aimed to concentrate footfall into a single area thus encouraging natural surveillance and therefore, it is hoped, reduce vandalism and anti-social behaviour.”

Plans will include four toilets and a new café. (Image: BHCC)

The public toilets will include two standard toilets, a family room and an accessible toilet, and the design has improved accessibility “at its core”.

“The new layout is all-level access and provides separate and distinct facilities for wheelchair users and ambulant users, as well as dedicated family rooms,” the application reads.

“A changing places toilet has been considered but regrettably there is insufficient room without a huge reduction in the overall provision.”

Changing places toilets are larger facilities that have the right equipment, including a changing bench and a hoist, designed to support disabled people who need assistance, according to the company’s website.

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The Maclaren Pavilion remains largely vacant the year round, apart from when a community group uses the building to hold meetings.

The city council is said to be working closely with the community group to find them a new location to meet.

A consultation on the planning application will be held on December 20. The public can comment on the application online.