Timperley’s new library is finally set to reopen after seven years.
Trafford Housing Trust and Trafford Council jointly built a new home for the town’s library on Stockport Road in Timperley, but much like the new homes it built next door, the grand opening had been pushed back.
Home owners were waiting over a year to move into the flats they purchased from the housing association in 2020. It was understood fire safety sign off delays were to blame.
More recently, Timperley’s new library’s opening date was delayed due to a lack of fire extinguishers in the building, on top of ‘considerable’ build delays the project also suffered.
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The library site was set to be acting as a hub for locals to pick up lateral flow tests, but this hasn’t been available while the delays continue.
Coun Julian Newgrosh, Liberal Democrat representative for Timperley Village, said: “The prolonged delays to Timperley Library are simply unacceptable. This long-overdue community resource sits closed and idle, waiting for critical fire safety equipment to be supplied.
“Trafford libraries provide residents far more than books nowadays. They are a hub for many council services. A vital resource that is being denied to the residents of Timperley. For example, you can pick up a lateral flow test kit from our libraries, increasingly important now that the omicron variant is spreading.
“I have made certain that senior management in the council and within Trafford Housing Trust (the project provider) are crystal clear what needs to be urgently achieved to get Timperley Library open for business. Further delays are failing our residents.”
In a joint statement, Trafford council and Trafford Housing Trust said: “The safety of library visitors is of paramount importance, and Trafford council, Trafford Housing Trust and our building contractors have been working closely to ensure all the necessary fire safety measures are in place to enable the new facility to open.
“We do now have fire extinguishers in the building which means that Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service will now be able to carry out fire strategy checks, which are due to take place on January 4 and 5. Unfortunately, that date cannot be brought forward, and we are preparing to open the new state-of-the-art library early in the New Year.
“We apologise for the delay, and want to thank the local community for their patience and understanding as we move towards completing what will be a fantastic new resource for local residents.”
