17 Aug Shortlands Library Update – August 26
Shortlands Library was closed in January 2026 for safety reasons after the appearance of cracks in a rear wall, which needed investigation. The Council has now completed its surveys and investigations of the Shortlands Library site and unfortunately found significant issues with the building.
The two large trees at the front are causing subsidence at the property. This is causing cracking in the walls, including where there is asbestos present, and a sink hole in the floor. Because the trees are so large they will need to be taken down in stages to avoid damage to nearby properties, and seasonally (outside of nesting season). Therefore, it will take some time to remove them, and we wouldn’t be able to start until this autumn. Only once the trees are fully removed could we start to repair and refurbish the property. The implications of this are that the current library building will be unavailable for many months if not years.
Therefore, as a result of these findings the Council are going to do the following:
- Decant the existing library site. An air test will be undertaken, and if no asbestos particles are found, the book stock, equipment and other materials will be removed from the building. This is so that they can be retained and reused.
- Improve the temporary library set up at St Mary’s Church and work with the church to create a better temporary library space there for the short term.
- Consider all the long-term options for Shortlands Library, including other potential locations in Shortlands for a library, and provide a further update on next steps once this options appraisal is complete.