The community consultation carried out by the County Council has been completed. This included a paper and on-line questionnaire; 3 surveys at Milton Road School of Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2 and Parents;  and a young persons group discussion (teenagers aged 14 to 17). This whole consultation has confirmed the ideas put forward earlier on uses to which the community facilities would be put and added some new ones. For instance the teenagers group suggested film nights and a Facebook page run by and for their age group, rather than a reading group which might more suit older residents.

Five options had been identified for the future of the building and these have now been analysed and narrowed down. Doing nothing or trying to refurbish the building were both rejected because of the high costs of maintenance and failure to recognise the need for community facilities as well as a library. Moving to a new facility at the Roger Ascham site or Mitchams Corner were also rejected because the County Council need to use the Roger Ascham site (which also has listed buildings) and there are no sites available at Mitcham’s Corner.

This left the option to demolish and replace the building which would provide the best opportunity to design in highly flexible use of the library element of the building as well as adding facilities dedicated to community use. The County Council’s Programme Board has given its approval in principle for the project to proceed on the basis that the cost will be funded mainly by building and selling flats above the community facility. Contribution towards the community facilities has been requested from the City Council.

The project is now ready to go to the stage of a developer being brought in. They would to go through the usual pre-application consultation, drawing up of plans and submitting a planning application. During this process the detail of the community facilities will be designed in and the balance between the cost and funding of the project will become clearer.