A Bolton landmark is to be closed for refurbishment with the operations moving to a new temporary home in September.

Bolton Central Library on Le Mans Crescent will be moving to Crompton Place Shopping Centre while the library building is closed for essential works.

This comes as a result of Bolton Council securing a £23.9m Towns Fund, with £3m of it being set aside for expanding and upgrading the children’s area, improving social spaces and updating the digital facilities in the main area, with the addition of a mezzanine floor.

A spokesperson from the council said: “A report proposing temporary relocation of Central Library will be considered by the leader of the Council on June 21.

“If approved, the project is due to start in September this year and will take just over 12 months to complete, the library will then move back to its current home towards the end of 2023.”

The spokesperson added: “The library will temporarily be housed at Crompton Place shopping mall on the site of the former New Look unit.

“Putting the library in Crompton Place aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of one of the town’s key cultural and heritage assets, so residents of Bolton and beyond can continue to enjoy all that the library offers.

“The temporary home for the library will not affect the redevelopment plans for Crompton Place which continue to be explored by Bolton Council.”

Council Leader, Cllr Martyn Cox said: “The Central Library and Museum are the cornerstones of Bolton’s cultural offer, with hundreds of thousands of residents coming to visit each year.

“Securing this funding means we can continue to care for our iconic building and preserving it for future generations is a top priority of ours.

“Moving the library to Crompton Place means those who use it won’t have to go far to access what they need with the minimum of impact.”

More details on the project are to follow in the coming weeks, with functions currently remaining open.