Work starts on the city’s £60m library and history centre (From Worcester News)

Work starts on the city’s £60m library and history centre

11:59am Saturday 28th June 2008 in

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WORK begins on Monday to create a £60 million super library in the heart of Worcester.

The new Library and History Centre, combining a university and public library, is to be built in The Butts, on the site of Worcester City Council’s former refuse depot.

It will sit alongside the new £120 million university campus that is being developed on the site of the old Worcester Royal Infirmary hospital.

On Monday, demolition will begin and the centre — being developed by Worcestershire County Council and the University of Worcester with the city council and Advantage West Midlands — will start taking shape. Removal of the old Transwipers building by DSM Ltd will take about six weeks. In its place will be a pedestrian footbridge creating a link to CrownGate Shopping Centre. Demolition of the refuse depot should start at the end of July. The entire project is due to be finished by 2011.

Councillor Stephen Clee, Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member for corporate services, said: “The work marks the start of this exciting vision, which will not only significantly regenerate this area of Worcester, but provide an invaluable learning resource believed to be the first of its kind in Europe.”

Councillor Simon Geraghty, leader of Worcester City Council, said: “The new library and history centre forms a key part of the renaissance of the city and is a good example of the city and county councils working together in partnership to deliver significantly improved services.”

Funding for the project includes £40.9 million from Government Private Finance Initiative credits and £10 million from the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with Advantage West Midlands, Worcestershire County Council and the university also contributing.

The new library will boast a range of features including a flagship children and young people’s library; a general lending and research library open to the public with computers, modern learning technology and comfortable reading areas; multi-purpose exhibition spaces and meeting rooms; Worcestershire County Council’s heritage services, including a history centre, record office and archaeology department; Worcestershire Hub customer service centre for county and district council services; and a business library.