PLANS to make an historic property more accessible have gone before Cornwall Council.

Better parking, a Changing Places toilet, and provision for mobility scooters are part of the proposals for Cotehele in the Tamar Valley.

Managers at the property have recognised that the current facilities are not adequate for people with disabilities. The car parking area for seven vehicles does not meet the minimum provision, is steeply sloping, and people then have to navigate steeply sloping terrain to access other parts of the site.

The new plan would see the creation of 12 accessible parking bays in the upper terrace area.

A survey carried out at Cotehele also identified “difficulties and barriers” with access to the reception, toilet block, shop and gallery.

The planning application includes new paving designed to make this access easier. A new building with storage and charging facilities for five Tramper mobility scooters is planned, something the National Trust says is “key to providing equal opportunities for people to enjoy the wider estate”.

The current toilet block will be reconfigured to make the existing disabled loos more accessible, and a Changing Places facility is to be installed.

The National Trust says it has long been its ambition to improve access across all its properties.

“The proposals fit closely with our objective to get more people outdoors and closer to nature and enjoy themselves in remarkable landscapes,” said a spokesperson.

“Helping people to reconnect with nature by improving access to the countryside is a core element of the National Trust’s strategy.”