Sutton Library to move out of shopping centre and into £1.1m new home

Sutton is due to get a new library in its town centre after Nottinghamshire Council signed off on relocation plans.

The town’s library is currently located at one end of Idlewells at the junction of Forest Street and Church Street.

The building is now more than 50-years-old, having been built around 1972, and the council says its ‘deteriorating condition’ has meant the library’s functioning has been ‘severely’ disrupted, such as ongoing problems with the heating, leaking windows and roof, faulty lifts, ‘persistent’ fire alarm faults and pest control.

Due to these issues, multiple unplanned closures, cancellations of group activities, school visits and clubs have occurred and the council’s registration service in the town has already had to temporarily move to its Mansfield location.

Council documents say: “The current library layout is unsuited to providing the flexible, community space that residents expect of a modern library, and the floor configuration means that there is a lot of unusable, wasted space.”

But now, the town’s library is set to move into a newer, modern space at Broadway House in Brook Street, a 10-year-old building – formerly a housing office – owned by Ashfield Council, which will cost the county council £1,189m to kit out.

The building is about a seven-minute walk from the current shopping centre.

Moving the service into Broadway House will bring in ‘considerable’ revenue savings, reducing the library’s yearly operating costs from around £303,000 to an estimated £176,000, according to the council.

The updated library will contain the Digital Innovation Centre, which is funded through a Government grant and will help residents and businesses develop digital skills.

Its registration service will move back into the town, alongside an art room, digital studio, meeting rooms and learning spaces.

The current site has around 115,000 visitors each year, being classed as a “tier 1” library, but the new space is estimated to attract more than 130,000 visitors.

It is estimated that fixing up the current Idlewells facility to make the library service there viable would require around £4.6m in investment.

The current building has four levels, but the library only occupies the first floor, while an ‘unused’ theatre covers floor two and part of floor three.

A spokesperson for Idlewells said: “We are astonished by the council’s decision and deeply disappointed on behalf of the many local people who rely on the library and our shopping centre.

“Our centre is much more than a place to shop.

"It provides a warm, welcoming space where people can access services, meet others and enjoy leisure and cultural activities.

"For many vulnerable and isolated residents, it is an important source of community and support.

“Once again, the council has failed to engage with its principal partner and fellow landowner.

"We firmly believe that by working together, we could achieve far better outcomes for the town through joined-up thinking.

“Firm Estates remains ready to sit down with the council at any time to find a better solution.

"We urge them to think again and start a constructive conversation before this decision becomes a costly own goal for the town.”

Coun Jody Stoll (Ref), cabinet nember for communities and public health, said in a statement: “Libraries are at the heart of community life and this investment is fantastic news for Sutton.

“Moving to Broadway House gives us the opportunity to create a practical, street-level space with better facilities for families, learners, older people and residents with mobility needs.

“Our libraries are so much more than a place to borrow books.

"They are welcoming hubs where people can learn, get online, access services, be creative and come together.

“We know how important libraries are to local communities and this £1.1m investment shows our commitment to giving Sutton residents a high-quality library that is fit for the future.

"I’m really excited to see Broadway House transformed into a vibrant new space at the heart of the town.”

The authority says design work on the new site is ‘well under way’.

Works could begin in early 2027 with a scheduled summer opening later that year.