Dorset Gardens set for a new accessible entrance and mended railings

Dorset Gardens is in line for £237,000 of work, including a new accessible entrance and repairs to its Grade II listed cast iron railings. The Labour-run council’s cabinet is asked to approve the scheme as a new project in its capital programme when it meets on Thursday 15 October.

Developers are paying. The council expects the cost to be covered by section 106 funds from developers, with no ongoing borrowing costs.

The council’s parks projects team has been working with local residents, businesses and event providers to find out what the park needs. The biggest share, £184,000, would go on refurbishing the listed railings. A new accessible entrance at the south end would cost £30,000. There is £13,000 for a new power supply for events and £10,000 for planting.

The surfacing at the south and north entrances needs repair and is “at risk of becoming a significant hazard for pedestrians”, the scheme’s paper says. The railings are “at risk of becoming beyond repair if no action is taken”. The heritage work covers the “repair, conservation or replacement of the perimeter heritage iron railings, gates and low wall”.

The scheme is part of the budget monitoring report from the cabinet member for finance and city regeneration, Labour councillor Jacob Taylor.

Most of the money comes later: £53,000 is due to be spent in 2026/27 and £184,000 in 2027/28. No regular upkeep costs are expected, and the parks service says it will try to raise money through activities in the garden to cover one-off repairs.