We are delighted to share that Eastside Community Trust has been awarded £50,000 from the Bristol City Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to help transform the toilet facilities at Easton Community Centre. This investment marks a significant step towards making our building more accessible, more inclusive, and better suited to the needs of the community.

This funding means we can move forward with essential improvements that have been long overdue. Over the past year we’ve been working with gcp architects to explore our options and develop two design concepts. With the support of the CIL award, we can now progress to a detailed specification and begin seeking quotes from contractors in the new year.

What this project will deliver

The refurbishment will focus on both the ground floor and first floor toilets, with the following aims:

• Upgrade the accessible toilet on the ground floor
• Install a new accessible toilet on the first floor
• Provide a dedicated baby-changing room
• Create additional storage space
• Introduce gender-neutral cubicles

These changes will improve comfort, accessibility, privacy, and safety for everyone who uses the centre, from families and young children to local groups, visitors, and staff. We know how important these facilities are to people who use the building every day, so we’re excited to be taking this work forward.

Thank you to our local councillors

We would like to extend our thanks to Councillor Jenny Bartle and Councillor Barry Parsons for their ongoing support for Easton Community Centre and for championing accessible, community-led spaces in our neighbourhood. Their backing has played a key role in helping us secure the resources needed to make these improvements possible.

Celebrating investment across Easton and Lawrence Hill

This latest round of CIL funding has awarded a number of brilliant local projects this year, helping to improve parks, community spaces, safety, and sustainable travel across Easton, Lawrence Hill, and neighbouring wards.

In our patch, successful projects include:

• Bellevue Road Play Area improvements – £106,700 (BCC Parks)
• Replacement shelter and new water supply at Easton Community Garden – £16,790
• Stapleton Road footway parking prevention – £35,780 (BCC Highways)
• Bannerman Road Play Area improvements – £11,250 (Lawrence Hill)
• Kingsley Hall restoration – £150,000 (1625 Independent People)
• Stapleton Road community safety improvements – £44,080.68 (BCC Community Safety)
• Newtown cycle route lighting improvements – £61,000 (BCC Parks)
• Take a Stand cycling scheme – £2,500 (Life Cycle)

We’re also pleased to be supporting our neighbours at Easton Community Garden by holding their CIL funds on their behalf as they move ahead with improving their shelter and water access, which a fantastic project run by dedicated volunteers.

What happens next

Over the coming months we’ll be working closely with gcp architects to finalise the technical design and put the project out to tender. We hope to appoint a contractor in early 2026 and will keep the community updated as plans develop.

This investment is a big milestone for us and brings us another step closer to ensuring Easton Community Centre remains a welcoming, inclusive, and fully accessible space for years to come.