The delivery of the a new 'green heart' in the centre of Nottingham where the Broadmarsh Centre once stood is expected to arrive at a similar time to the opening of the new central library in 2023, according to a councillor. The delayed fit-out of the new library will now commence and will cost £10.5m.
A new central library, replacing the Angel Row site which has been sold, forms part of the overall regeneration of the south of the city and Greater Broad Marsh zone. The fit-out was delayed and has left the city without a central library since the beginning of the pandemic.
Executive councillors at the city council have now however confirmed the fit-out will commence and the library will open in 2023. And it is now understood a small part of the redevelopment of the former Broadmarsh Shopping Centre is expected to be finished at a similar time to the library.
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As first unveiled by Nottinghamshire Live in December of last year a new 'green heart' will be developed at the bottom of Lister Gate, where the shopping centre once stood. This will be called Lister Square and feature an oak sapling taken from the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest.
It is this area that could be delivered around a similar time to the opening of the library. Much of the site still requires funding however after the council failed in its bid for levelling up cash from the Government.
Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis, for Lenton and Wollaton East and the new portfolio holder for leisure and culture, says 40% of the responses on the libraries consultation said the central library was in fact their "preferred library". During a meeting of the executive on May 24 he said: "If we don't take this decision now I think the main risk will be prices increasing. Another issue that might come up is losing coordination with other projects that are happening at the same time.
"We have the green heart at the bottom of Lister Gate, that public realm element, is going to come up at a similar time as the opening of the new library so it is important to us to time those things effectively."
Providing an update on the new central library David Mellen, the leader of the council and Dales ward councillor, says it is currently a "shell" and still needs a floor building as well as furnishings, lighting and plumbing. He added: "This is an announcement later than would would have wanted to make. But we are in a situation where we will not commit to capital expenditure until that money is secured for us.
"Because we have had a successful asset sale programme which has brought in money we are now in a position for this to be placed in the capital programme to commence the fit-out.
"Because of where it is and because of its glass-frontage people will be able to see work going on as it commences and we look forward to this new library being opened next year."
