Old Horsforth library transformation gets underway

12.00.00am GMT Wed 27th Jan 2010

A major development project is now underway in Horsforth to transform the former town's library site into a new youth centre.

Horsforth councillors fought to keep the building in the public's hands after it was replaced with the new Horsforth library which opened four years ago.

This cost of the new library was originally to be funded by the sale of the old building but councillors successfully campaigned for it to be saved. The youth service will move out of their current base at the Stanhope Drive Centre and be re-located to the ground floor of the old library building. The upper floors will be the new home of the councils West and North West Area Management Teams.

The project, which will create a large open space which will be suitable for a wide-range of community activities is now under-way and planned to be completed in June. The cost of the scheme is estimated at £895,000, £30,000 of which has come from the North West Outer Area Committee's well-being fund.

Cllr Brian Cleasby (Lib Dem, Horsforth)

"This is a great result for Horsforth. Not only is the old library building safe from the threat of private developers, but with this deal it will carry on serving the community. We would like to pay tribute to the youth service staff who have done a fantastic job at the Stanhope Drive Centre over the years. I'm sure everyone will appreciate the need to move to somewhere more suitable for the young people of Horsforth.

"This is the largest amount of money that has been given to any of the outer city wards this financial year."

Cllr Chris Townsley (Lib Dem, Horsforth and chair of the north west outer area committee) said:

"Keeping this important building in the public's hands has been a great victory for Horsforth. Community spaces should be easily accessible and with its immediate proximity to the new library, the Horsforth Mechanics Institute and the near by health centre to create a real focus for our community."