Flagship ‘21st century library’ to be scaled back as soaring inflation hits £14.5m project
manchestereveningnews.co.ukPlans for a ‘21st century library’ in Stockport look set to be scaled back after the flagship £14.5m project was hit by soaring inflation costs.
The new ‘learning and discovery centre’ - provisionally dubbed ‘Stockroom’ - is to be based at Merseyway shopping centre, and also includes a sensory room, performance space and a cafe.Bankrolled by the government’s Future High Streets Fund, the scheme was dogged by controversy due to the transfer of services from the town’s historic Central Library on the A6.
A final compromise solution - which involves thousands of books remaining at Central Library - was signed off last summer.But a council report says the construction industry been hit by ‘significant inflation’ since the cash was awarded- and Stockroom ‘has not been immune to these financial challenges’.
The document, which will go to cabinet next week, recommends a ‘revision’ of the plans and also for the council to pump an extra £2m into the project to ensure it is delivered ‘in line with the original bid and vision for Stockroom’.READ MORE:Plan to permanently close leisure centre questioned following ‘pointless' consultation It continues: “It has become clear that in order to bring the costs to a more manageable level, steps need to be taken to revise the overall scope of Stockroom.
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