City's central library to relocate for £6m revamp

Peterborough Central Library is due to temporarily relocate as part of a £6m refurbishment project expected to take up to two years.

The library on Broadway will close on 30 October to allow books and services to be moved to Northminster House, opposite the existing site on Northminster Road.

The city council said the refurbishment was designed to meet the changing needs of the community, with dedicated spaces for groups, events and other activities.

Known as Northminster Library, the temporary facility is expected to open on 9 November.

The project is being funded by the council's regeneration fund and money from the government's Town Fund.

Book loans, photocopying and printing, as well as public computers, are among the services transferring to Northminster Library.

However, study rooms would not be available at the temporary site, the council said.

Residents can continue to use Peterborough's nine other libraries before the temporary site opens.

Zameer Ali, the council's cabinet member for communities and public safety, said: "Central Library is a well-used, well-loved library and it is important we invest in it now to protect its future."

The building had not had any major investment for more than 30 years, the Labour councillor said.

"This is an exciting project and one we very much want the public to be involved in," he added.

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