Long overdue: The sorry saga of town's new library as doors finally set to open

“IT has been delayed and delayed and delayed,” says campaigner Des Conway.

- By JOE LOCKER Local Democracy Reporter

Sherwood Library is set to open on Friday, April 17

“It has taken way too long... and children and families have been deprived of a library.”Nottingham City Council has announced Sherwood Library will be opening on Friday, April 17 - more than two years after the developer behind the scheme handed the building over to the authority for its final fit-out.

While campaigners have expressed delight at the announcement, the path to this point has been quite the horror story.

Development has been marred by a raft of problems, poor communication and a “tug-of-war game” between the council and the developer that left locals angry and disappointed.

"A very lengthy process"

The library site, on Spondon Street, was owned by Nottingham City Council, and included former social services offices, a car park and three retail units, as well as the existing library.

The Labour-led authority said the old building, originally opened in 1957, was in poor repair and no longer met the standards expected by users.

Therefore, in 2017, the council held a consultation, and carried out an exercise to find a preferred contractor to buy and develop the site.

That year, a consultation poster said the council was “at the very start of what could be a lengthy process” - quite - but that it was hoping to have the opportunity put out to prospective developers early in 2018.

In December 2020, that prospective buyer was named as Hockley Developments.

The site was sold to the city-based developer on an agreement that the library would be built at no capital cost to the council, and that a 125-year lease would be created at a nominal rent.

In return, Hockley Developments was allowed to build homes and shops on the rest of the site.