By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
The snagging issues preventing the opening of the “much-delayed” Sherwood Library are due to be fixed in the next three weeks, a senior Nottingham councillor says.
A contract with Hockley Developments, to demolish the old library in Spondon Street and build a new facility with added commercial space and housing, was first signed in 2020.
Nottingham City Council sold the site to the local developer with an agreement that a library would be built at no capital cost to the authority, and that a 125-year lease would be created at a nominal rent.
A new facility has since been built alongside commercial space, which is currently used by Sainsbury’s, and housing.
However, problems first became apparent earlier this year when it emerged the scheme’s previous contractor, Dako Construction Ltd, collapsed into administration.
While a new contractor was found and the library building was handed back to the council at the end of 2023 for the final fit-out, a planned summer opening has been hampered by the discovery of more than 134 defects.
These defects include issues with fire access hatches and fire safety sign-off, cracked windows, the watering system for the living wall, and a leak in the atrium.
A protest was staged outside the library building on August 19, where families expressed their frustration and anger at the situation.
During a Full Council meeting on Monday (September 9), libraries campaigner Des Conway asked for an update in a written question.
Cllr Sam Lux, Executive Member for Carbon Reduction, Leisure and Culture, said: “I want to reiterate I’m very frustrated around being able to reopen Sherwood Library and I am aware Sherwood has for a long time now been without a library following its closure in 2020.
“Unfortunately due to several factors this project was much-delayed and of course more recently further due to a number of outstanding snags which have not been rectified by the developer.
“I can assure the citizen the council is exploring all avenues. On a more positive note the developer is now engaging and working with us to resolve the issues.
“A programme of works has now been agreed and there is ongoing correspondence checking in on progress to reduce the list of snags considerably. We hope these final works will be completed in the next three weeks and the final stage of the fit-out works can then take place.”
It comes as the council is proposing to close the Basford, Bilborough, Radford-Lenton libraries and Aspley Library in a bid to save £1.5m in its libraries service over the next two years.
The authority declared itself effectively bankrupt in November last year after it was unable to set a balanced budget, and commissioners have been overseeing improvements since February.
A public consultation finished on August 19.
Cllr Lux said more than 5,300 people had responded to the consultation.
Some creative alternatives to closures have emerged from the consultation and public meetings, so that at least some library provision in the buildings could be maintained.
These are now being explored.
“I can’t make any promises but will do my best to protect those buildings,” Cllr Lux added.
A final decision is expected later this year.
