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Town's library building put up for sale

James AldridgeLocal Democracy Reporting Service
News imageLDRS The corner of a red brick building with a sign reading "Reading Central Library".LDRS
The library was first opened to the public in 1985

A town-centre library has officially been put on the market amid plans to move services to another building.

Estate agents have put Reading Central Library up for sale for an unspecified amount of money.

It has been suggested the building on Kings Road could be transformed into 46 new flats.

An "improved" library will instead be built in a three-storey extension to the borough council's offices on Bridge Street.

No price has been outlined for the Central Library building yet, with it being listed on Rightmove as "POA" meaning "price on application".

News imageReading Borough Council An artist's impression of a building. The exterior of the building has columns at the front. There are several large arched windows on the ground floor. There are sketches of people outside the building.Reading Borough Council
The new Reading Central Library will be incorporated into the Civic Offices

The 40-year-old building could either be demolished and replaced or retained and converted.

The site would be vacant by the beginning of 2026, ready for the purchaser, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Current occupants, including the Berkshire Family History Society, Reading's Economic and Destination Agency (REDA) and Reading Voluntary Action, are expected to leave the premises in December.

Sustrans, the active travel charity, has already vacated.

News imageHampshire County Council Property Services An artist's impression of a building. It looks minimalistic and square. There are green bushes at the front, with sketches of people walking around outside.Hampshire County Council Property Services
A three-storey front extension will be added to the council offices

The new library at the Civic Offices is set to open in spring 2025, with the books from the Central Library being relocated across the borough.

Costing more than £8 million, the project will be paid for with money from a government Levelling Up Fund (LUF) grant.

At a meeting in October, council officials admitted the new library would have fewer books and less floorspace than the one it was replacing.

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