College Accessibility Guide

There is step-free access to the main entrance to the College and the Porters' Lodge from Huntingdon Road and Buckingham Road.

There are five steps from the drop-off area up to the main entrance and the Porter’s Lodge. The steps are shallow (approximately 100mm) and long (approximately 650mm) and no handrails are provided - see Figure 2. 

An alternative step-free route is provided, which is narrow (approximately 1180mm) and long (approximately 13m) but shallow enough to be considered a slope rather than a ramp. The surface is uneven in places - see Figure 3.

The main pedestrian approach to the main entrance and the Porters' Lodge is from Huntingdon Road - see Figure 4. The gate provides an effective clear width of approximately 1400mm.

Three accessible parking bays are also available for blue badge holders in the car park, which can be accessed from Storey’s Way - see Figure 5. 

External paths from the Storey’s Way car park to the Porters' Lodge are at a minimum width of 1200mm and with gradients that may be challenging for visitors using manual wheelchairs. The steepest gradient is a section approximately 10m in length as visitors approach the covered walkway that links Fountain Court and Orchard Court (at the side of the library) – see Figure 6.

Visitors should contact the Porters' Lodge if blue badge parking is required or if any assistance may be required on arrival.

Porters' Lodge 

All visitors should report to the reception desk in the Porters' Lodge on arrival – see Figure 7.

There is step-free access to the Long Room, Jocelyn Bell Burnell and the Council Room from the main reception area in the Porters' Lodge.

Narrow entrance doors to the Long Room (approximately 750mm and 740mm) mean that these double doors may both need to be opened for wheelchair users to more easily access any facilities or events in this space. 

Accessible Toilets

The nearest accessible toilet is in Fountain Court.

There is a steep internal ramp from the Porters' Lodge to Fountain Court (a gradient of approximately 1in 8.5 over a distance of approximately 4.4m). The ramp has a handrail to one side only (on the right-hand side, as ascending). 

There is a passenger lift in the stairwell on the south side of Fountain Court. The lift provides access to public areas on the ground floor and the basement floor. 

There is an automated door to the lift lobby on the ground floor. 

The lift is an oval shape (approximately 1500mm depth and 2100mm width) with the lift doors providing an effective clear width of approximately 780mm – see Figure 8. 

The Art Café is located on the ground floor and on the basement floor. There is step-free access to both floors of the Art Café using the adjacent oval lift.

Within the Art Café there is a narrow set of stairs between the basement floor and ground floor. The stairs have open risers and a handrail to one side only (on the right, as ascending) – see Figure 9. 

On the basement floor, there is step-free access from the Art Café to the external patio seating area of Fountain Court (manual double doors, each providing an effective clear width of approximately 1300mm) – see Figure 10.

On the basement floor, there is step-free access to the Art Exhibition Space.

Two perch stools are available at the entrance to the Art Exhibition Space for visitors to use.

There is an automated door to the lift lobby on the basement floor.

On the ground floor, there is step-free access to the library. 

The library is not generally open to guests. Visitors should contact the Porters' Lodge should they wish to make special arrangements to visit the library.

There are automated doors along the route from the Porters' Lodge to the ground floor entrance to the library. 

Automated doors to the library entrance on the ground floor are wide enough for wheelchair access (providing an effective clear width of more than 1100mm). 

On the basement floor, there is step-free access to the library. There are no automated doors on the basement floor, with narrow doors along the corridor route to the library (approximately 780mm) and at the entrance to the library (approximately 720mm).

There is no access to the books or study spaces on the upper two levels of the library. Library staff will retrieve items stored on any level not accessible to users upon request.

The steps from the first floor to the second floor of the library are steep and narrow (with risers of approximately 190mm and goings of approximately 210mm) – see Figure 11.

On the ground floor, there is step-free access to the Vivian Stewart Rooms, the Senior Common Room (SCR) and the upper level of the Fellows’ Drawing Room. 

There are four steps with a handrail to one side (on the left-hand side, as descending) to the lower ground floor level of the Fellows’ Drawing Room – see Figure 12.

A wide, covered, external walkway provides a step-free approach to the Christopher Stevenson Room on the ground floor of Orchard Court. However, the internal door to the Christopher Steven Room is too narrow for wheelchair access (with an effective clear width of approximately 680mm).

There is no step-free access to the Junior Common Room (JCR) on the first floor of the undergraduate accommodation block in Orchard Court.

There is step-free access to a Prayer Room, located on the basement floor.

There are narrow doors along the corridor route to the Prayer Room (approximately 780mm).

There is only one entrance to the Prayer Room and no facility to segregate by sex. 

No ablution facilities are provided.

There are two accessible toilets in Fountain Court, located in the same location on the ground floor and the basement floor. 

The accessible toilet on the ground floor is within 50m of the reception desk at the Porter’s Lodge. The accessible toilet on the basement floor is within 20m of the refreshment facilities provided in the Art Café.

Both accessible toilets in Fountain Court are approximately 1500mm x 2100mm, with an effective clear door width of approximately 920mm – See Figure 13. 

The accessible toilet on the ground floor includes a baby changing bench (at a height of approximately 850mm).

Both accessible toilets in Fountain Court are configured for a right-hand transfer.

The accessible toilet on the ground floor has an automated door. 

There is designated (but unmarked) accessible parking for blue badge holders within 40m of the entrance to Paula Browne House - see Figure 14. There is a separate controlled access to this parking area from Huntingdon Road. Marking for this blue badge parking is not feasible but visitors should telephone the Porter’s Lodge in advance to book, if blue badge parking is required or if any assistance may be required on arrival.

Narrow glazed doors provide public access to the reception area on the upper ground floor of Paula Browne House (a single door providing an effective clear width of 730mm but there are two doors if assistance is available to open them) – see Figure 15.

There is a passenger lift in the main reception area of Paula Browne House. The lift provides access to all floors of the building – see Figure 16.

The lift carriage is approximately 2100mm x 1080mm with the lift doors providing an effective clear width of approximately 890mm.

Lecture Theatre                                                                                                 

There is currently no provision for wheelchair seating in the lecture theatre and there is no wheelchair access to the stage. 

Meeting and Function Rooms in Paula Browne House

Doors along all access routes and to the lecture rooms and the conference rooms on the second floor and the third floor provide an effective clear width of between 840mm-850mm.

Toilets

There is one accessible toilet on the upper ground floor reception area of Paula Browne House. 

The accessible toilet includes a baby changing bench (at a height of approximately 850mm) and is approximately 1500mm x 2000mm, with an effective clear door width of approximately 840mm. 

The accessible toilet is configured for a left-hand transfer. The light switch is a pull switch at a height of approximately 1600mm.

In the self-contained universal toilets on the upper ground floor, shelving is provided at a height of approximately 750mm. In the self-contained male and female toilets, shelving is provided at a height of approximately 1350mm.

In the self-contained universal toilets on the first floor, the second floor and third floor, shelving is provided at heights between 1200mm-1300mm.

The nearest accessible parking is in the car park which can be accessed from Storey’s Way - see Figure 17.

Visitors should telephone the Porters' Lodge in advance to book, if blue badge parking is required or if any assistance may be needed on arrival.

The main external approach from the Storey’s Way car park to the ground floor entrance to Canning and Eliza Fok House involves sloped pathways that are in places at a gradient of approximately 1 in 20 over a total distance of more than 50m – see Figure 18. There is limited seating (without armrests or backrests) along this route. Seating with armrests and backrest is positioned off the path and on woodchip, which will not be possible for wheelchair users to access.

There is controlled access to an automated door at the main entrance – see Figure 19.  

Middle Common Room (MCR)

There is step-free access to the MCR with automated doors

Bi-folding doors provide step-free access from the MCR to the external patio area. 

Toilets

There is one accessible toilet on the ground floor in the reception area of Canning and Eliza Fok House. 

The accessible toilet is approximately 1550mm x 2350mm, with an effective clear door width of approximately 870mm). 

The accessible toilet is configured for a left-hand transfer.

Off-street drop-off at the main entrance to the Porters' Lodge is within 50m of the entrance to Buckingham House.

There is step-free access to the entrance to Buckingham House from Buckingham Road.

The external door is automated - see Figure 20.

Lecture Theatre

There is an enclosed platform lift that provides step-free access from the ground floor entrance to the lecture theatre in Buckingham House to the lower-level front of the lecture theatre and the stage.

There is also step-free access to flexible seating at the back of the lecture theatre to accommodate wheelchair users and carers (if required and requested). 

Arrangements to configure the flexible wheelchair seating should be made by contacting the Porters' Lodge or the event holder in advance.

Seminar Rooms

There is step-free access to the two seminar rooms on the ground floor (manual doors providing an effective clear width of approximately 900mm).

Toilets

There is one accessible toilet on the ground floor in the reception area. 

The accessible toilet is approximately 1530mm x 1800mm, with an effective clear door width of approximately 830mm. 

The accessible toilet is configured for a left-hand transfer.