Case Study: The Spitfire Ground, Kent County Cricket Club

Written by Kit Garrett
August 24, 2023

At Kent County Cricket Club, inclusion and diversity are ingrained into the culture. Their EDI Policy obliges the Club to ‘endeavour to create access and opportunities for all those individuals who wish to participate…in cricket in England and Wales in whatever capacity.’ Given this, it makes absolute sense that, when it came time to make improvements to The Spitfire Ground, they would pick RISE as their development partner.

Kent Cricket’s EDI Action Plan sets out a 3-year programme to upgrade the County’s existing facilities to make them more accessible. In order to achieve part of that plan, the senior leadership team identified two key areas for attention:

The installation of a BS8300-compliant,Changing Places toilet facility, for spectators and participants with complex needs, and
The addition of a second accessible viewing platform, so wheelchair users are able to equitably access the spectator side of the sport

These two installations are just a small number of a multitude of improvements planned across all of Kent Cricket’s grounds over the next few years.

Warming Up: RISE In the Nets

Kent Cricket asked RISE to quote for both of the above jobs. Following a series of productive conversations with our team, we agreed that our CP+1 Changing Places plus accessible toilet product would best suit their needs. The CP+1 module provides everything you’d expect from a fully compliant Changing Places toilet (adult changing bed, peninsular toilet, hoist, privacy screen, grab rails, alarm etc.) while also offering the flexibility of an additional unit that can be used for more or less any purpose – most clients opt to turn this into an additional accessible toilet, but some choose to create baby changing facilities, gender neutral toilets or even just to have it fitted out for storage space.

Kent opted to use their own team to conduct groundworks; we supported them in this by offering detailed advice on the precise spec of what was required to ensure both sets of works could be completed safely and connected to utilities as needed, as well as carrying out our own due-diligence site surveying prior to the commencement of works.

Put Us In Bat

A Well-Played Reverse Swinger

At RISE, we specialise in modular Changing Places toilets and room adaptations. A spectator viewing platform is something a little outside of our normal remit – but we’ve never let a challenge stop us before!

Our in-house drafts team collaborated with the Club to produce a set of drawings that we were confident would meet their needs. Once signed off, and the aforementioned groundworks completed, we were able to get on-site and complete the work in a timely fashion.

The viewing platform is a fantastic resource for Kent – it not only provides equitable viewing of England’s great old pastime, it also features charging stations for wheelchairs and electric scooters, meaning no one will ever get stranded at the Spitfire!

All Out: Kent Played A Blinder

These two new facilities in tandem will help to ensure that no disabled person who wants to watch or participate in events at the Spitfire Ground will face significant barriers. With flat or ramped access available to both, it’s hard to see this as anything but a massive win for Kent Cricket – and disabled people in Kent.

Check out more about our work with Kent Cricket on their website ->

HOWZAT! Let’s Get Cracking!