Kent County Council (KCC) has delivered a suite of new inclusive features designed to ensure that people of all abilities can explore the park safely, confidently, and independently.
The project was supported by Defra and facilitated by the KentDowns National Landscape team, forming part of a wider programme to improve access for all to the North Kent Woods and Downs National Nature Reserve.
The upgrades include:
- A newly surfaced accessible stretch of the North Downs Way, enabling access for all to reach the wood henge sculpture, woodland areas, and sweeping viewpoints across Kent.
- A new all‑terrain tramper mobility vehicle, allowing more visitors to explore the park’s trails; demand for trampers is already high across Kent Country Parks, with more than 1,000 registered users at other sites.
- A fully compliant Changing Places Toilet which gives visitors the confidence that they can visit and stay for longer, knowing the right facilities are available.
Part of the improvements is a new, fully compliant Changing Places Toilet, giving visitors the confidence that they can visit and stay for longer, knowing the right facilities are available.
KCC marked the completion of the works by holding an opening event which had representatives from the Kent Downs National Landscape, disability advocacy group Need2Change, which supports disabled people and their families to access inclusive outdoor activities, and members from the local community.
These enhancements form part of KCC’s long‑term commitment to improving accessibility across its country parks, helping more people connect with nature and benefit from the health and wellbeing value of spending time outdoors.
“Everyone should be able to experience Kent’s beautiful countryside, and these improvements are a major step toward making that a reality.”
Jamie Henderson, Cabinet Member for Environment, Coastal Regeneration and Public Health, said: “Thanks to almost £180,000 of Defra funding, we’ve been able to make a real difference at Trosley. People who previously couldn’t access parts of the park can now enjoy the landscape, take in the views, and explore safely and independently. Everyone should be able to experience Kent’s beautiful countryside, and these improvements are a major step toward making that a reality.”
Trosley, along with nearby Shorne Woods, forms a key gateway into the wider National Nature Reserve and the Kent Downs National Landscape. Both sites are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest and are being considered as Geosites within a proposed cross‑Channel UNESCO Geopark.
For more information on Trosley Country Park, visit: Trosley Country Park - Kent County Council
