3 February 2004
Buro Happold recommends accessibility methods for Historic Scotland properties
Buro Happold’s Disability Design Consultancy (DDC) has completed an independent audit for Historic Scotland recommending measures that will improve accessibility and enjoyment of Scotland’s historic properties for people with disabilities.
The DDC team audited all of the staffed properties in the care of Historic Scotland covering a wide range of properties including castles, abbeys, priories, distilleries and a lighthouse. These audits have identified what improvements can be made to allow access to as much of the properties as possible that is reasonably practical without compromising the nationally important historic fabric. The programme of audits for the un-staffed properties is already being programmed.
Historic Scotland is aware that by October 2004, Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act requires that all physical barriers, including visual and auditory, that make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to access services should be removed or altered or a reasonable alternative provided.
The audit team visited each of the historic sites and examined their accessibility by following a visitor experience. This included landscaping, approach, entry, parking, reception and customer facilities. An assessment of facilities such as induction loops, sound enhancements, tonal contrast, surface finishes, lighting and signage was also undertaken.
Margaret Hickish, head of DDC comments, “Historic Scotland is committed to making their properties as accessible as possible to all. These audits have proven that the historical fabric of the building need not be compromised to make the necessary adjustments. They are setting very good example for owners of buildings used by the public who are daunted by the changes to the DDA in October this year.”
The changes mean that from 1st October 2004, those who provide a service to the public need to remove any physical barriers to ensure disabled people receive a fair service.
From October 2004 companies and organisations that provide services to the public will be required by the Disability Discrimination Act to ensure that their services are reasonably accessible to disabled people.
Editors Notes: Disabled people have an annual spending power of £50 billion. There are approximately 8.6 million disabled people in Britain.
Historic Scotland Properties Audited in Stage 1
Holyrood Abbey & Abbey Strand
Palace of Holyroodhouse & Mews
Trinity House, Leith, Edinburgh
Caerlaverock Castle & Old Castle
New Abbey Corn Mill
Sweetheart Abbey
Threave Castle
Craigmillar Castle
Crichton Castle
Dirleton Castle & Garden
Seton Collegiate Church
Tantallon Castle
Cardoness Castle
Crossraguel Abbey
Dundrennan Abbey
Glenluce Abbey
MacLellan's Castle
Whithorn Priory & Museum
Dryburgh Abbey
Hermitage Castle & Chapel
Jedburgh Abbey
Blackness Castle
Cairnpapple Hill
Torphichen Preceptory
Biggar Gasworks Museum
Bothwell Castle
Craignethan Castle
Dunbarton Castle
Glasgow Cathedral
Newark Castle
Rothesay Castle
Stirling: Argyll's Lodging
Bonawe Iron Furnace
Dunstaffnage Castle & Chapel
Doune Castle
Dunblane Cathedral
Elcho Castle
Huntingtower Castle
Inchmahome Priory
Aberdour Castle and Garden
Castle Campbell & Garden
Culross Abbey
Dunfermline Palace and Abbey
Inchcolm Abbey
Arbroath Abbey
Edzell Castle & Garden
Meigle Sculptured Stones
Lochleven Castle
St Andrew's Castle
St Andrews Cathedral & St Rule's Tower
Corgarff Castle
Huntly Castle
Tolquhon Castle
Balvenie Castle
Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery
Duff House
Elgin Cathedral
Spynie Palace
Kinnaird Head Lighthouse
Blackhouse Complex, Arnol
Kildrummy Castle
Kisimul Castle
Broch of Gurness (Aikerness Broch)
Brough of Birsay
Earl's Palace, Birsay
Tormiston Mill
Jarlshof Prehistoric & Norse Settlement
Stirling Castle White House VC
Background information for editors:
Press office and practice information
Buro Happold is a multi-disciplinary international practice of consulting engineers established in 1976 offering civil and structural engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, quantity surveying, building services and environmental engineering, health and safety management, infrastructure and traffic engineering, ground engineering, façade engineering, fire engineering, computational fluid dynamics analysis, disability design consultancy, project management, urban design and a range of specialist CAD services.
