Library not expected to reopen before 2029

Grimsby Central Library is not expected to reopen until at least spring 2029, councillors have heard.

The library was closed in March due to water damage that created a risk of asbestos disturbance, with a temporary library being set up in the Freshney Place shopping centre in November.

A North East Lincolnshire Council cross-party select committee met on Wednesday to discuss the future of the library, including costs and timings for its reopening.

Estimates for the refurbishment ranged from £12.3m to £13.6m.

Councillors heard that Initial work to remove asbestos from the plant room was ongoing, with the next steps being to assess the roof to see if it could be repaired or needed to be replaced.

Asbestos would also need to be removed, as far as practicable, throughout, with an estimated cost of £2.3m.

The committee has made a number of recommendations to the council's economy, culture and tourism scrutiny panel, which is due to meet on the 22 January, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

These include an urgent agreement on capital funding to prevent significant water ingress through other openings and asbestos removal from the full building.

Committee chair, Councillor Steve Holland, said they wanted to hear as many views as possible when deciding the future of the library.

"We are confident at this stage that a solution can be found which preserves the heritage and unique architecture of the building, but which will also make it fit-for-purpose on a practical level and it becomes a treasured community asset for decades to come.

"The barrier will be cost of course, and that is something that needs to be collectively addressed with the aim of trying to achieve a consensus."

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