Accessibility

Intent

It is our intent for King’s House to be as accessible as is reasonably practical.

If anyone requires any assistance other than that listed below, this will be readily given, where possible.

Accessible Parking

Sidney Street has seven accessible parking bays, the closest two being just in front of the building.

The closest multi-storey car park, NCP Chester Street, is about 400 metres from the main entrance and has 11 accessible spaces. Further parking details can be found on the King’s House Map and Directions page.

The Front Approach

There are black vehicle direction signs and blue pedestrian signs saying “King’s Church” on the surrounding roads, some of which are one-way direction roads.

The front of the building has a sign next to the main entrance saying “King’s Church” and “King’s House Conference Centre”.

The pavement outside King’s House is local authority-owned and consists of several dropped concrete loading bays.

We have requested the council re-lay the pavement and remove these bays. The street is well lit by street lighting.

Entrance Doors

There are no steps at the entrance: we have level access from the pavement.

The main entrance consists of double glass doors in the centre, with a single glass door either side. When the doors are unlocked, access would be mainly via the centre doors. When the doors are electrically locked, there is an intercom button on the wall. The doors are then unlocked remotely from the reception desk. Anyone needing assistance opening the door would receive physical help from a member of staff. Once inside the entrance doors there is a one in twelve gradient up into the Foyer.

Exit Doors

The front entrance glass doors have an egress button and emergency break-glass for use when the doors are electrically locked. One fire exit door has a standard panic push pad. All other fire exit doors have standard panic push bars. One fire exit doorway has a small step and another leads to a shared ascending staircase before leaving the shared space and descending.

Circulation

All doors to corridors and meeting rooms have high and low-level vision panels fitted. Most doors are beech in colour with colour-contrasting black door furniture and stainless steel kickplates. All stair nosings are colour-contrasting to the adjacent floor coverings. We have a personnel lift, complete with voice synthesiser, tactile signage, half-height mirror and low-level controls.

Lighting

All meeting rooms are fitted with daylight fluorescent tubes or LED lighting, and have natural daylight. All corridors, meeting rooms, staircases and most toilets are fitted with emergency lighting that activates in the event of a power failure.

CCTV

CCTV surveillance and recording is in use for the purposes of safety, crime prevention and prosecution of offenders. Cameras monitor the front entrance, the Foyer and the private shared rear access road.

Ventilation

All meeting rooms, except Meeting Room 2, have natural ventilation from opening windows. Seminar Room 1, the Main Kitchen, the First Floor Hall and the Auditorium have mechanical ventilation systems. The Main Kitchen and all toilets have mechanical air extraction systems. The First Floor Hall and the Auditorium have air conditioning.

Reception Desk

The height of the main part of the desk is standard office desk height.

Toilets

There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor with an emergency alarm. There is another one on the first floor, accessed by a RADAR key, with unisex shower and an emergency alarm.

Induction Loop Systems

The Auditorium, First Floor Hall and Seminar Rooms 1, 3/4 and 5 have induction loop systems installed. We also have a portable induction loop listener.

Internal Signage

Most internal signage consists of black text on a white background.

Ramps

Access to Decking 1 in the Auditorium is by 2 fixed ramps. We have portable ramps to allow access onto the stage and Decking 2 in the Auditorium.

Literature

Any literature available can be read out on request. Most literature can be printed in large print.

Evacuation

In the event of evacuation staff would help anyone requiring assistance. We have an Evac+Chair for use in evacuating wheelchair users and the mobility-impaired from the first or second floor.

The Rear

The private shared rear access road, owned by all adjoining properties, forms part of an emergency evacuation route and has PIR-controlled security lighting.

Review

This statement should be reviewed annually in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 and the current approved documents for Part M of the Building Regulations.