City Council confirms sale of library to Henry Boot

Nottingham City Council has confirmed that controversial plans to sell the city’s Central Library to Henry Boot Developments have been completed.

Reports suggest that Henry Boot paid around £4m for the site, which it says it is going to turn into 120,000 sq ft of Grade A office space.

However, the future site of Nottingham’s Central Library remains unclear.

Cllr Jon Collins, leader of the City Council, said: “Henry Boot are committed to providing the kind of top end office space businesses have been crying out for and helps us achieve our pledge to provide a new, revamped central library facility to meet the future needs of our citizens and visitors to the city. I understand people’s concerns about the sale and where the library will go but rest assured – there will be a central library in Nottingham.”

He added: “Central Library isn’t just a place to borrow free books – it provides services for older people to come and meet and learn to use new technology, for mums and tots, schoolchildren, jobseekers, newcomers to the country looking to learn English, housing advice, access to free computers and wi-fi, local history investigation and research and so much more. It would be ludicrous to lose such important services in a city centre and has never been our intention.

“Henry Boot are committed to providing the kind of top end office space businesses have been crying out for and helps us achieve our pledge to provide a new, revamped central library facility to meet the future needs of our citizens and visitors to the city. I understand people’s concerns about the sale and where the library will go but rest assured – there will be a central library in Nottingham.”