An alternative site for a new library in Portishead is a
step closer, with councillors voting to aquire six units within
Horatio House.
The council is in the final stages of buying the lease on a new
site in Harbour Rd in order to create a new state of the art
library and information point for council services.
The new site will replace plans for a £6 million development,
also at Harbour Rd, which was due to include a library, an access
point for council services, 32 residential flats and car parking
facilities for residents and library visitors.
Terms for a contract to provide the scheme were agreed with the
developers PG Enterprises Ltd but the company was unable to enter
into a formal contract due to the economic climate.
Council leader, Cllr Nigel Ashton, said the council was
delighted to be in the process of securing the new library
site.
"The planning permission for the original library scheme was
approved five years ago and we still don't have a new library.
"The opportunity to buy this site came up and we jumped at the
chance. The Portishead community has expanded dramatically over the
last decade and a new library is desperately needed. We now know it
can become a reality."
The council has agreed a figure for the purchase of the site but
has yet to exchange contracts on the deal.
The final decision to buy the site was approved by
full council on June 29.
Further details about the new scheme will be available at a
later stage but it is hoped that the new library will be open by
March 2011.
