Bromley’s beloved library network is being regenerated to be fit for the future, as the next steps for significant works are agreed at Committee.
Around £11m has been allocated to carry out repair works and replace end of life materials to modernise eleven libraries across the borough, with refurbishment already underway at St Paul’s Cray and the major regeneration of West Wickham Library also in progress through a separate project.
These plans will progress with the procurement of consultants to take the works forward, which was agreed at the Renewal, Recreation and Housing PDS Committee last night. Further refurbishment and repairs will begin over the next two years on the majority of the borough’s fourteen libraries.
Councillor Yvonne Bear, Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing said: “Our libraries play a vital role for a great number our residents with over a million books being issued across the borough last year and many more using these welcoming spaces and their ever-growing range of services on offer. We are now making this major investment to repair our library infrastructure to meet the borough’s changing needs. This will help prepare libraries for the future so they can continue to provide the high quality of services and support that make an invaluable contribution to many of our lives.”
The planned works will cover libraries in St Paul’s Cray, Beckenham, Burnt Ash Lane, Chislehurst, Hayes, Mottingham, Orpington, Penge, Petts Wood, Shortlands and Southborough. These works will be done in phases to ensure libraries that are closer together are not closed at the same time where feasible. Further details about each of these will be announced in due course.
A refurbished and improved St Pauls’ Cray Library will reopen this Summer, with the service currently operating from the Cotmandene Resource Centre.
Find out more about the major works on the West Wickham Library which are now underway, with this service temporarily located in Coney Hall at 77 Addington Road.
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For media enquiries, please contact James George, Public Affairs Officer, on 020 8313 4565 or email james.george@bromley.gov.uk