Broadway library rescue attempt ends in defeat

Date published: 27 August 2009

THE battle to save Broadway Library from demolition has been lost.

Bulldozers are due start levelling the 1950s building next week — despite interest from developers.

Oldham Council says that proposed schemes for the site did not stack up financially.

And a last-ditch attempt by Chadderton Historical Society to have the library listed has been turned down by English Heritage.

Work to strip out the building started this week and the subsequent demolition is due to last three weeks.

However, Chadderton councillor Dave Hibbert said he had been contacted by a developer who was interested in converting the building into houses. He believes that the developer had applied for necessary documents and is demanding that the building is not demolished until the proposal is considered.

“I’m certainly not promoting his interests. If his proposals are no good then walk away, but we should at least give it a chance because it is a very popular building,” said Councillor Hibbert

“This would ensure that all options have been explored and that the possibility of saving the council the substantial expense of demolition has been properly assessed.”

Broadway Library opened in 1954 to celebrate the Queen’s coronation, but demolition proposals were first unveiled in 2007.

It closed in May despite a campaign to save it and a replacement library facility at Turf Lane Community Centre has been criticised.

English Heritage said Broadway Library was not a particularly good example nationally of a 1950s urban library, and had been substantially altered.

Michael Lawson, secretary of Chadderton Historical Society, said he was disappointed that it had not been listed, but not surprised.

“It is sad because it is part of our heritage. In the last 12 months we have also lost the grammar school which I think was a mistake,” he added. “I know we can’t keep everything but we should try to protect out heritage. We do have this attitude of letting things run into rack and ruin.”

Councillor John McCann, cabinet member for community services and housing, confirmed people had come forward with proposals for the library, but none had offered the market value for the site. There were also concerns about the financial backing.

He defended the decision to demolish and said: “It costs thousands of pounds in security to keep an old building like that. The other side is it is worth more as a cleared site.

“When it is redeveloped the idea is there will be a community facility and a library access point.”