Work has begun on the demolition of a police station building to make way for a 37-home development. The build means that Lockleaze Library will be moving to a new home later this month.
The development of the Cameron Centre and police station is due to start in October, and some library services will be moving to the reception of The Hub on Gainsborough Square. The library service has worked with Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust (LNT) to create a small library access point with reservation collection, children’s picture books and item returns.
Library customers will be able to drop off library items and pick up reservations from The Hub. There will also be a collection of picture books and board books for under-fives that can be “swapped” in an informal way to support local families.
Kate Murray, Head of Bristol’s library service, said: “I would like to thank the Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust for supporting us and providing a space for the library in the heart of the local community. This will be a pilot of an innovative new way of working with a community organisation to provide access to library services in the city, and continue to provide children and families with access to books and stories.
“We hope that local residents will continue to make use of the library provision, and also enjoy the facilities at The Hub, including the Hubbub community café.” Melissa Blackburn, CEO of Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust added: “We’re pleased that we’ve been able to step in and stop Lockleaze losing its library service following the closure of the Cameron Centre. We see the current situation as a pilot, and we will be working with residents to review this model in 12 months’ time.”
Work is due to start later this month on the new housing development and community facility with the demolition of the former police station on Cameron Walk. The development will provide 37 homes which will include a mixture of one, two and three-bed apartments. All of the homes will be council-owned and 100% affordable. There will also be a non-residential space on the ground floor which could be used for local community and learning facilities.
Elsewhere in Lockleaze, Goram Homes has completed its first homes at One Lockleaze, 55 per cent of which will be council-owned housing, and they will be welcoming its first council tenants before Christmas. The current Lockleaze Library will be open until Saturday 19 October and then the new services will move to The Hub from Monday, November 11.