£5m vision unveiled for state-of-the-art library
building. They unveiled blueprints for the massive project in the week the 2021 City of Culture winner is announced.
The hub will be built as part of an £ 42m refurbishment on the museum complex.
Planners set out their vision for the future in a report to councillors.
It stated: “The new Learning and Cultural Hub will accommodate the library service currently housed within Paisley Central Library, which is part of the existing museum building.
“The existing library building — once vacated in 2018 — will form part of a larger £42m project to transform Paisley Museum into an international-class visitor destination.
“Both of these are key projects which will use Paisley’s cultural assets to regenerate the town centre and are taking place alongside the UK City of Culture 2021 bid.
“Paisley has one of the finest skylines in the UK, with exceptional buildings dating back to the 7th century.
“This is often missed by visitors and locals alike.
“From the moment the building is seen, it should be obvious that something special is happening here.
“The potential for the new Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub is no less than to change how Paisley is perceived, regionally, nationally and internationally, to help turn a town into a city of culture.”
Collective Architecture has drawn- up a range of options for the development at 22 High Street, which once housed stores John Collier, Richard Shops and Internacionale.
They want to retain the decorative elements of the original facade — dating back to 1876.
The hub will provide space to archive seldom-seen exhibits from the museum.
The council bought the property last year after it was put on the market for £869,565.
Planners believe the proposals will “significantly improve” footfall in the shopping precinct.
Only the lending library — which receives around 130,000 visits each year — would move, with the current heritage section staying at the library in the museum quadrant.
Councillors will be given the decision on whether to approve an order to bulldoze parts of the building.
They have been told building works could impact on business and traffic in the town centre.
Trucks will need access to the site to transport building material and erect and dismantle a crane.
Lorries will drop off overnight, to minimise the impact on traders and shoppers, between 6.30pm and 6.30am.
The category A- listed Paisley Central Library will undergo extensive modernisation works to help create a modern museum based around the town’s textile heritage.
It was built in stages between 1868 and 1933 and suffers from poor access and choice over layout.
The new hub will bring it into the 21st century, with increased space for computers and technology.
The council has secured a £1.5m Scottish Government grant to pay for costs and will stump-up a further £3.5m.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: “We can confirm that a planning application has been lodged for the demolition of a building, which sits within a conservation area.
“The application will be considered by councillors at a later date.
“The building, a long-term vacant building at 22 High Street, is the proposed site of the new Learning and Cultural Hub, which is part of a wider vision to bring new footfall to Paisley High Street using our cultural and heritage assets.
“The relocation of the library to the High Street is part of a larger investment of more than £ 100million across town centre venues and infrastructure which will take place regardless of the UK City of Culture 2021 competition result.”
The High Street site was part of Paisley’s medieval centre and was once the site of the Semple family’s town house, which dates from the 17th century.
The building has seen various textile uses, including bootmaking, millinery and tailoring.
It was substantially modified in the 1950s, but the historic decorative front was saved.
Paisley will learn if it has beaten Coventry, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland and Swansea to the coveted City of Culture title, which could be worth more than £170m to the town’s economy, on Thursday.
Arts Minister John Glen will reveal the winner live on The One Show on BBC One at 7pm.
It’s part of a wider vision to bring new footfall to Paisley High Street