Library knocked down 11 years after £550k refurb
BRANCH DEMOLISHED TO BE REPLACED BY 11 FLATS DESPITE 2011 WORKS
A LIBRARY in West London has been knocked down 11 years after a council spent nearly £550,000 fixing it up.
Wood End Library, in Greenford, was demolished to make way for 11 flats, despite being refurbished as recently as 2011.
The library was torn down as part of ambitious plans which will see 134 homes built across Ealing by council developer Broadway Living.
According to plans submitted to Ealing Council, the development will include a smaller community library in a section of the building’s ground floor.
Wood End Library was refurbished by Ealing Council in 2011 with a rear extension and interior improvements.
The work cost £549,481, including a grant of £500,000 from the Department for Education through its Sure Start scheme, aimed at supporting children’s learning and development in disadvantaged areas.
The remaining £49,481 came from Ealing Council.
Wood End Library was knocked down despite fierce opposition from Greenford residents, many of whom said it provided a vital community hub for the area.
Some 95 members of the public submitted comments under the plans on Ealing Council’s website, with most voicing their anger at the library’s demolition.
One resident wrote: “This library belongs to the local community and is not for anyone else who feels like it to destroy it.
“The nearest library is at Northolt swimming pool and would mean a long walk for most people, or bus ride. A car trip is out of the question due to very limited parking (not free).
“This library has deliberately been closed and rubbish left to build up so it becomes an eyesore, hoping locals will be glad to get rid of it. It’s ours, so get it cleaned up and opened again.”
Another resident objected: “It is a disgrace, to knock down and replace a much-needed local resource.
“Just to replace it with yet more flats, shoving more people into an already overcrowded area.”
Only two of the 95 people who commented said they would not object to the demolition.
According to Ealing Council, Wood End library was faced with closure due to cuts in Government funding – and extensive public consultation was conducted on the development.
The building work is due to be finished by summer 2023.
A spokesman for Ealing Council said: “This is an opportunity to reprovide a library as well as develop 11 units of genuinely affordable housing which enables the site to provide better outcomes for the community as a whole. Once built, the library is proposed to be operated by Ealing Council, with support of residents and groups as a community-supported library.”