Over £12m has been allocated by East Sussex County Council to build new libraries in Hastings, Newhaven and Seaford – a record amount of funding for libraries in the county.
The cash boost is on top of a near £1 million refit and refurbishment at Eastbourne Library which was recently completed by the County Council and a near half million pound upgrade at Bexhill Library carried out last year.
Councillor Bob Tidy, Lead Member for Community Services says it’s an unprecedented level of funding. “We’ve never seen this amount of cash for new libraries in this county before. People in the Hastings, Newhaven and Seaford areas, together with library users in the Rye area, will benefit from stunning new libraries over the next few years. And the Seaford development will see improved adult social care facilities as well.
“In addition to these new developments, we’ve spent hundreds of thousands of pounds upgrading existing libraries such as Bexhill and Eastbourne. We know there is more work to do to improve other libraries in the county but I believe when you see what’s being planned and what’s been achieved so far, it amounts to a record level of support for our library service.”
The new Hastings Library will cost £6.2m and East Sussex County Council hopes to start work on the project next year. The Library will be the biggest boost made by the County Council to library services in Hastings for decades.
£1.2 million has been allocated by the County Council for the planned new library at Newhaven. Working with Rees Elliot Ltd it is hoped that design work will begin this year with work starting on site early 2010, subject to planning agreement.
The Council recently gave the green light to the new Seaford Library and Adult Social Care development. The £5m project will be located on the Warwick House site in Sutton Park Road and will include a brand new library, adult day care centre and supported living flats. It is hoped that work will start in 2010/11, subject to planning agreement.
Reference:
2376
Contact the press team
East Sussex County Council