The Council’s Cabinet Committee (on 29 January) approved an allocation of £1.2m for the new library in the Council’s capital programme. The plan will now go to the full County Council meeting on Tuesday 12 February for final agreement.
If the plans get the go-ahead, the Council hopes that developer Rees Elliot Ltd can start building work on the site adjacent to the shopping centre in 2008/09, subject to planning agreement.
Councillor Bob Tidy, Lead Member for Community Services said: “I am delighted that our Cabinet Committee has made this recommendation. This proposed scheme would provide a massive boost to library development in the town, support our ongoing commitment to the regeneration of the area and help the literacy and learning needs of the local community.”
The Council says the current library in the shopping centre does not meet the requirements of a community the size of Newhaven. A plan for a new library in the town has been a priority in the Council’s capital programme for some years, along with Hastings and Bexhill. A new library is also planned for Hastings and Bexhill Library is currently undergoing a major refit and upgrade of facilities on the ground floor.
If the planned development gets the green light, County Council Library Service managers will consult with local people about the range of services that the library will provide.
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