Bespoke Access Lifts for Tight External Spaces

Key Takeaways

• How to design platform lifts in restricted spaces where standard solutions fail

• Solving wheelchair access challenges in tight external areas requires whole-journey engineering, not isolated components

• Turning circles, gate sequencing, and fall-protection usually dictate feasibility

• Early spatial modelling and visualisation prevents redesign and planning risk

Introduction: Solving Wheelchair Access Challenges in Tight External Areas

When pavement access, heritage ironwork, and building regulations collide in just a few square metres, standard accessibility solutions fail. This guide shows how bespoke platform lift engineering solves extreme space constraints while maintaining safety, compliance, and dignity of use.

In tightly constrained external environments, accessibility is rarely limited by lift travel height alone. Instead, success depends on how approach routes, platforms, gates, barriers, and surrounding architecture are engineered to work together as a single system. This article explains how Sesame Access approaches these challenges using bespoke design methodologies developed specifically for restricted external spaces.

The Problem: How to Design Platform Lifts in Restricted External Spaces

External access routes often combine multiple constraints that cannot be solved independently:

• Pavements that limit encroachment and turning space

• Narrow landing bridges connecting gates to lift platforms

• Existing ironwork or glazing that cannot be altered

• Fall risks adjacent to drop-offs or voids

• Headroom restrictions below three metres

In these conditions, even well-established solutions such as the Windsor Lift may need to be re-engineered into a fully bespoke configuration.

The Solution: Engineering Bespoke Geometry and Sequenced Access

Solving wheelchair access challenges in tight external areas requires redesigning the entire access journey, not just the lift.

Engineering 1400mm Usable Space Platforms

Where space is limited, platforms are engineered to the minimum usable dimensions rather than nominal standards. Typical strategies include:

• Reducing platform length to 1400mm where justified

• Prioritising straight-line entry over circular turning

• Aligning access routes diagonally to available space

These principles are frequently informed by constrained urban precedents such as the Pimlico Lift.

Turning Circles Without Pavement Encroachment

In external locations, achieving a full 1500mm turning circle is often impossible without obstructing public space. Solutions may include:

• Reorientating gate swing directions

• Staggering gate and platform clearances

• Designing straight-through access paths

This approach allows compliant, usable access while respecting site boundaries.

BS 6440:2011 Compliance and Fall Protection in External Lifts

Safety systems in tight external installations must operate as a coordinated whole.

Gate Sequencing and Interlocks

External access routes commonly require:

• A manual pavement gate

• An automatic landing gate

• An automatic on-platform gate

These elements must be interlocked to prevent clashes, uncontrolled movement, or unsafe opening sequences. This coordinated logic underpins solutions such as the Westminster Equality Act Lift.

Preventing Falls Along Bridges and Edges

Where lift platforms sit adjacent to voids or drop-offs, additional protection may be required:

• Continuous handrails or glass infill panels

• Flush-mounted edge protection aligned to surrounding architecture

• Toe-guards to prevent foot slippage

All protective elements must integrate visually and structurally with the existing environment.

Using 3D Visualisation to Resolve Complex Geometry Early

In highly constrained sites, two-dimensional drawings rarely reveal the true interaction between gates, platforms, and circulation routes.

Sesame Access often uses early-stage spatial modelling and interactive visual tools to test geometry before detailed design. This approach is explored further in
3D staircase visualisation for architects, which demonstrates how early visual validation reduces redesign and planning risk.

Platform Lifts vs Retracting Stair Solutions in Tight Spaces

In some scenarios, a platform lift may not be the only viable solution. Where vertical travel is minimal and architectural constraints are severe, retracting stair mechanisms may provide a better outcome.

A detailed comparison of these approaches is covered in
Domestic platform lift vs retracting stairs access options, which explains how to select the correct strategy based on space, usage, and safety requirements.

Technical Specifications: Typical Constraints in Tight External Access Design

While every project is bespoke, common technical thresholds include:

• Minimum usable platform length from 1400mm

• Clear straight-line access routes from 800mm

• Headroom constraints below 3.0 metres limiting rising barriers

• Mandatory fall protection at any adjacent drop

• Gate logic designed to prevent simultaneous conflicts

Structuring these constraints early allows solutions to be engineered rather than compromised.

Product Integration Summary

Constraint	Engineering Response	Reference
Limited platform length	Reduced bespoke geometry	Windsor Lift
Tight urban footprint	Rotated entry and linear access	Pimlico Lift
Public-facing fall risk	Integrated gates and protection	Westminster Equality Act Lift

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a platform lift work without a full 1500mm turning circle?

Yes. In restricted external environments, alternative access routes can be engineered to provide safe, usable entry without a conventional turning circle.

How do you design platform lifts in restricted spaces?

By engineering the entire access journey together, including gates, barriers, and circulation, rather than forcing standard components into unsuitable geometry.

What happens if there is not enough headroom for a rising barrier?

Low headroom environments typically require swing or sliding gate solutions instead of rising barriers.

Are bespoke external lifts harder to maintain?

No. Properly engineered bespoke lifts are designed with service access, replaceable components, and long-term maintenance in mind.

When should lift specialists be involved?

As early as possible. Early involvement reduces planning risk, redesign, and abortive work.

Call to Action

If you are dealing with a complex or space-restricted access challenge, early technical input can prevent costly redesign.

Book a Teams meeting with a Sesame Access Project Manager:
https://www.sesameaccess.com/book-a-meeting