Bolton: Update on plans to redevelop Great Lever Library

Great Lever Library on Bradford Road had to be demolished after being gutted in a fire in October 2018 with plans then put in motion to spend several million pounds turning the space into a new multi-use community hub.

But following a long period of delay, Cllr Madeleine Murray, who represents Great Lever, asked the council in a meeting this month why residents and community groups were still waiting for confirmation on the fate of the site.

She said: “We were expecting the plans to go to planning committee in September 2019, this didn’t happen, and we couldn’t get any information from anyone.

The fire struck in October 2018 (Image: Newsquest)

“Now in September 2022, we are able to continue our lives after Covid and our community groups who have been very patiently waiting for the phoenix to rise from the ashes at Bradford library site want me to ask the question.”

The Bradford Road library had to be demolished entirely after a devastating fire struck nearly four years ago on October 22 2018.

Since then, it became a target for vandalism and other forms of anti-social behaviour including further cases of arson.

Great Lever Library on Bradford Road (Image: Newsquest)

In March 2019, plans were announced at the Great Lever forum that several million pounds would be spent on turning the site into a new community space with suggestions put forward that it could be used for yoga, karate and youth clubs as well as office space, a cafe and library.

But at a meeting of the council earlier in September, cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Adele Warren, admitted this could now be thrown off track due to increasing costs, which could reach up to £3.5m.

She said: “Events have clearly moved on since the initial budget allocation and as part of next year’s budget discussions council will need to determine whether it is still appropriate and affordable to construct a new community facility.”

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Cllr Warren explained that the council had allocated just over £408,000 as part of its 21-23 capital programme towards the costs of redeveloping the library, with another £475,000 coming from the insurance settlement reached after the fire.

This gave the council a total of £883,915 to rebuild the site, but Cllr Warren said the authority estimated that replacing the building with "reasonable quality" community facilities would cost a minimum of £2.5m to £3.5m, while future budgets would also have to cover staffing and operational costs.