Works start to Grimsby Central Library to remove asbestos

The next steps to bring Grimsby Central Library back into use are starting today.

Whilst the pop up library opened earlier this month in Freshney Place, the continued use of the main library building has always been a consideration for the library’s long-term future.

Grimsby Central Library has been closed to the public since the end of March this year after a water leak created a risk of asbestos disturbance.

Over the spring and summer period, phase one of the works was to remove the contents of the library and local history collection into safe storage. In total, around 157,000 items, including around 94,000 books, and then maps, negatives, photographs, microfilm, slides and other material from the local history collection, have been moved.

Work to deal with the leaking roof will start later this week. From Wednesday 26 November, there will be scaffolding deliveries to site, and from next week, specialist contractors will begin a 12-week programme of work to remove asbestos from the plant room at the top of the building, the only internal access route to the roof.

Once the asbestos has been removed from the plant room, this will mean that a full inspection of the roof can take place, and recommendations put forward on what repairs need to be done to the roof to address most of the water ingress into the building: there is also a small amount of water leaking through some of the windows.

Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader of the Council, said: “Like almost all buildings of this age, asbestos is an issue and until this is dealt with properly, we cannot move forward with any plans for this building. We need to take this one step at a time, and deal with what we have in front of us.

“The first stage will be the plant room asbestos removal, then the inspection of the roof will follow, with recommendations and action to deal with the roof repairs. Only then can we look at the rest of the building and see what we need to do to bring it back into use.”

In the meantime, the pop up library offering a range of services, is based on Baxtergate in Freshney Place is open from Tuesdays to Fridays between 8.30am and 5.30pm, and on Saturdays from 9am-1pm. It is closed on Sundays, Mondays and Bank Holidays.