Library set to open at former Southsea Woolies site
City leaders are pressing ahead with plans for a new state-of-the-art library in Southsea's shopping centre.
Portsmouth City Council has been offered the former Woolworths site in Palmerston Road for a rent of 100,000 a year.
Ruling Lib Dems have told officials to go ahead and sign the 25-year deal.
They want to carry out a 1.5m makeover of the site to create a library with an IT learning zone, community space for local groups, access point for council services, a cafe and even a bookshop. But the scheme has angered some opposition councillors.
Tory Linda Symes, who represents Central Southsea, said: 'It is an exact replica of what Southsea Town Council used to offer - and the Lib Dems closed down and sold off those offices. Now they want to spend millions replicating it - it seems like a waste.'
The current library in Elm Grove will be closed down and sold off to help pay for the scheme. The rest of the cash for the refurbishment will come from the city council's reserve fund, which is usually set aside to pay for schemes that will deliver a saving to the council.
City leaders will also have to find 234,000 a year to pay for the site's running costs, including staff wages, rent and rates.
Lib Dem council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson said: 'The library in Elm Grove is in completely the wrong place. We want to try and make sure we relocate it to somewhere where people actually go.'
Council officers say moving the library to Palmerston Road and adding new services could increase the number of visits from 64,000 to 80,000 a year.
They also looked at the former Kentucky Fried Chicken site in Palmerston Road South, but opted for the more central store as it has a cut-through from Waitrose to the main shopping centre.
Cllr Vernon-Jackson added: 'This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
'The store has been empty for a year and a half - if there had been a bigger chain they could have easily outbid us but they didn't. I think in terms of the Southsea offer, a library and contact point is better than a pound shop, which is what the Cosham Woolworths will be.' The city council hopes to have the new library open by October.
>> Vote in our latest web poll.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portsmouth
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
