Work has started on Woodingdean's new Library and Medical Centre

On Saturday 30 March, Woodingdean Library will shut it’s doors for good to make way for the much anticipated new library and medical centre.

Phase one of construction will be the assembly of a temporary car park and library hut which will be opened mid-April until the new building is completed.

Councillor Geoffrey Bowden, chairman of the council’s culture committee, said: “It’s a proud moment for us to start building a combined new library and medical centre. The administration, ward councillors and the local community have worked hard to reach this point and, when complete, I am sure that the new facility will prove to be a lynchpin for Woodingdean.”

The new building will have a medical centre, library, computer suite and meeting room and will have an out-of hours entrance so that the building can be used to its full potential. The centre will be twice the size of the existing library and provide improved facilities for the doctors at Woodigndean Practice surgery, currently on Ridgeway

Jane Collins, the practice manager at Woodingdean Surgery, said: “We are looking forward to working with the library and for us this is a great opportunity to create spacious and modern premises at the heart of the community. The additional space would mean the practice would be able to offer more services to our patients under one roof.”

The project is expected to cost around £1.6 million overall, with Brighton & Hove City council spending just over £500, 000 on the library.