Council leaders approve library relocation plans

Gloucester library’s “fantastic” relocation to the former Debenhams building is a step closer after council leaders approved the move today.

Gloucestershire County Council is planning to relocate the library from its current location at Brunswick Road to the former department store building in Kings Square.

The building is set to become University of Gloucestershire’s city campus and the council will now enter into a 25-year lease for part of the property.

Cabinet members said the plans were “fantastic” and were a great example of what can be achieved with collaborative working.

The current Gloucester Library building opened in May 1900 and it does not easily suit a modern library service with many physical constraints.

Deputy leader Lynden Stowe (C, Campden-Vale) told the cabinet meeting at Shire Hall that it was good news for the regeneration of the building and city centre.

He also explained the site will have better accessibility for those coming to Gloucester on public transport.

Fire, community safety and libraries cabinet member Dave Norman (C, Grange and Kingsway) said the move could happen at the beginning of 2024.

This would be after the first phase of the refurbishment on the site is completed and the current library will remain operational until the move takes place.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to offer for the library users of Gloucester a much improved location. A facility they will feel they want to enter and use over the coming months and years.”

The council says the current library building has legal constraints as it is held on charitable trusts, and is subject to restrictive covenants. It is also thermally inefficient and is heated by outdated boilers fuelled by fossil fuels.

It has a large backlog of outstanding maintenance and requires significant updating and improvement to bring it up to modern standards, this is made more difficult and costly due to its listed building status, according to a cabinet report.

By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter

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