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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Lauren Harte

Enniskillen library: Stormont department issues update on delay to long-awaited upgrade

No timeframe has been set for the construction of Enniskillen's long-awaited new library.

It has also been confirmed that the library will be relocated to a temporary site if it has to close before a new one can be built.

Plans were first lodged in 2021 to demolish the existing building on Halls Lane and replace it with a brand-new state-of-the art library.

Read more: Plans lodged for proposed redevelopment of Fermanagh Lakeland Forum

Construction of the new £470,000 building was set to commence in mid-2022 and due to be completed by December 2023.

Safety measures have been put in place around the building due to the risk of crumbling masonry but no funding is currently in place for a new building.

Both Libraries NI and the Department for Communities say the construction of a replacement library "remains a priority".

A business case for the replacement of the current facility was submitted to the Department by Libraries NI, and Departmental approval of the same was provided in August 2020.

Since then, the Department says it has unfortunately been unable to secure the necessary capital funding to allow Libraries NI to progress the project to replace Enniskillen library.

It is also currently unable to say with any certainty when the project to replace Enniskillen Library will be progressed.

A DfC spokesperson added: "The Department’s capital funding programme is kept under regular review, with decisions to progress capital projects necessarily taking account of competing priorities and the constrained capital budget position.

"The Department is aware that Enniskillen Library building is approaching the end of its service life and that the facility will need to be replaced soon. The protective netting around the building has been erected as a health and safety measure to address the potential risk from spalling masonry.

"All remedial works to allow the building to remain open to the public are carried out by service contractors who are experienced at managing work of this nature in public buildings along with the associated health and safety risk.

"Should it become necessary to close the current library facility either before capital funding becomes available, or during any construction phase, the Department for Communities would work with Libraries NI to consider alternative temporary provision for library services."

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