Skip to content
Tall white clock tower in a sunny urban park. Green branches frame the scene, with modern buildings and clear blue sky in the background. Peaceful atmosphere.

Case Study: City-Wide Accessibility Audits for Palmerston North Council

Case Study: City-Wide Accessibility Audits for Palmerston North Council

Palmerston North City Council logo

Client: Palmerston North City Council

Project: City-wide accessibility audits and ongoing advice

Date: 2003–2005 and ongoing

Location: Palmerston North

Overview

Palmerston North City Council engaged BarrierFree to provide a comprehensive audit of all council-owned facilities, to support their commitment to accessible public infrastructure.

The council took a proactive approach to improving usability and inclusion across its facilities, seeking to better understand how public spaces and facilities serve people with disabilities, older adults, and others with access needs.

Scope of Work

BarrierFree’s work included:

  • Extensive accessibility audits of public facilities
  • Ongoing technical advice for new developments and upgrades
  • Recommendations for compliance and best practice

The audits were designed not only to meet minimum standards but to help the council achieve a high level of accessibility and usability across their assets.

Key Outcomes

BarrierFree provided:

  • Clear, actionable recommendations for improving accessibility
  • Guidance on achieving compliance with NZ standards
  • Strategic advice to support long-term inclusive planning

The council demonstrated strong engagement with its community, including disabled users, ensuring that accessibility improvements were informed by lived experience.

Impact

BarrierFree’s involvement helped Palmerston North City Council:

  • Strengthen its commitment to inclusive public spaces
  • Improve the experience of all people, including disabled residents and visitors
  • Embed accessibility into its long-term infrastructure strategies

Conclusion

BarrierFree’s advice was successfully incorporated into Palmerston North City Council’s maintenance and asset purchase programmes. This project highlights how local councils can lead by example when it comes to inclusive design. 

Through early engagement and ongoing collaboration with BarrierFree, Palmerston North City Council has taken a meaningful step toward creating environments that are accessible to all.