Baildon Library

Locations of Baildon Library

• Baildon Circulating Library is shown in several photos of the time as being in the Newsagent on Towngate. (Hodgson, & Bottomley)
• Bertha Lonsdale, next door to Bottomley's
• Baildon Picture House from 31 March 1955.
• Glendale House, Northgate
• Temporary hut off Browgate, bottom tier of Ian Clough Hall car park.
• Ian Clough Hall since it opened in 1971.
• Proposed 2022. Temporarily in 2-4 Northgate vacated by Martins Newsagent
• Proposed 2022. Baildon Conservative Club, vacated by Baildon Club.

There have been other libraries in Baildon.

• Baildon Conservative Club had a library and librarian.
• Woodbottom had a library. The address/location is not mentioned so this could be the same library as 48 Otley Rd.
• Ferniehurst Newsagency & Lending Library. N Bolton. 48 Otley Rd. (1954, '56)

Proposed move to Conservative Club

Property to Let

2-6 Northgate is owned by CBMDC. In 2021 Martins Newsagent vacated 2-4 Northgate and CBMDC added it to their Properties to Let.

2–4 Northgate, Baildon, Shipley BD17 6JX

This property is not presently available to let.

This property was taken off the market on 3 August 2021. The Council intends to relocate Baildon Library from its present accommodation and is therefore seeking premises in Baildon to which to relocate it. 2-4 Northgate has had to be reserved to be considered for use as the new library in case other premises cannot be found.

It will not be known for certain until after 3 November 2021 whether the Council will seek a new tenant for the property or use it for operational purposes.

In the meantime, if you are looking for space in Baildon for retail or other use within planning Use Class E and would like to find out more about this property, comprising:

a ground floor unit having sales area of approximately 73 square metres net internal area first floor space of approximately 86 square metres then please email Simon Hicks, Estate Surveyor, on simon.hicks@bradford.gov.uk.

Possible new home for Baildon Library

CBMDC Press Release. News Item

Article dated Thursday Dec 23, 2021 at 09:28 AM

Baildon Library could be relocated to a nearby building and the library facilities improved if plans are approved. Bradford Council’s Executive will be asked to approve plans to relocate Baildon Library from the current Ian Clough Hall site into the former Baildon Social Club, on the other side of the road.

The Council has been looking at options for the Baildon library, as the Ian Clough Hall building is no longer fit for purpose. Following a detailed assessment of a number of options, it is recommended that the acquisition and refurbishment of the former Baildon Social Club, located directly opposite the existing location of the Library, would be the best solution. This not only provides an updated sustainable facility, but will also support the heritage of the town centre through its re-purposed use.

Ian Clough Hall was opened in 1971, and was named after a famous mountain climber, born and brought up in Baildon, who climbed with Chris Bonnington. There will still be a reference to Ian Clough if the library moves to a new location. Ward Members and Baildon Town Council have been briefed and support the proposal, Baildon Town Council would also be able to have office space in the new building with independent access.

It is proposed that Ian Clough Hall site will be sold, following closure of the building, however the lower tier of public car parking would remain in use as a “pay & display” public car park, providing around 40 car parking spaces. This is a prominent town centre site that will be marketed with the benefit of a planning statement to ensure that the new development is of high quality design, is in keeping with and supports the regeneration of the town centre.

It is proposed that the Library will relocate into temporary accommodation whilst the new library facility is being developed, the proposed building being the former Martin’s the newsagent premises, which is owned by the Council. This will allow for a scaled down temporary provision including a limited public browsing facility alongside an ‘order and collect’ service.

Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Transport and Planning, said: “This proposal is great for Baildon as it will not only see us keep the library in the centre of Baildon but will also see a high quality redevelopment on the site of Ian Clough Hall, which will support the town centre economy. It is also important for us to feature Ian Clough in the redevelopment so that we can remember him and his achievements.”

Cllr Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “We have always been committed to retaining a library in Baildon and we know how important it is for the local community. It is one of our busiest libraries and this proposal will mean that we can provide an improved library facility along with an office for Baildon Town Council and it will still be in a central location for residents.”

A spokesperson for Baildon Town Council said: "Baildon Town Council is delighted to support this excellent proposal to replace Baildon Library and also our own office base, within this historic building in Baildon village Centre. We look forward to working closely with Bradford Council on both the details of this proposal, and also the plans as they take shape for the redeveloped site."

The report goes to Executive on Tuesday, 4 January.

Item 11. Agenda for 4 Jan 2022

Regeneration & Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee

PROPOSED RELOCATION OF BAILDON LIBRARY FROM IAN CLOUGH HALL INTO THE FORMER BAILDON SOCIAL CLUB BUILDING

The report of the Strategic Directors of Corporate Resources and Place (Rep 7 that contains NFP appendix A) seeks approval to relocate Baildon Library away from the Ian Clough Hall site into the former Baildon Social Club.

This proposal would improve the library facilities and allow for the eventual demolition of Ian Clough Hall which does not meet current standards.

Recommended -

1. That option 2 to relocate Baildon Library into the former social club be approved.
2. This option will include:
   1. The temporary relocation of the library into 2-4 Northgate;
   2. The demolition and disposal of the top two tiers of the Ian Clough Hall site;
   3. The acquisition of the former Baildon social club on the terms detailed within the Confidential Appendix and
   4. The refurbishment of the former social club at the costs detailed within the confidential appendix, to convert the premises into a public library.
   5. The former site be added into the Capital Disposal programme with receipts earmarked to support the overall capital programme

Appendix

Extracts from page 189 onwards of the appendix. (Page 205 of the pack) This assessment considered the following options:

• The full refurbishment of Ian Clough Hall;
• Relocation of the library within the Ian Clough Hall site but into a new build facility;
• Relocation of the library into other Council owned facilities and
• Relocation of the library into properties not currently owned by the Council.

Baildon Town Council (BTC) has an agreement with the Council about its requirements should the Ian Clough Hall site be redeveloped in the future. BTC currently occupies offices in Ian Clough Hall. This agreement includes:

• To build suitable and sufficient facilities to replace the Library facility;
• To create an office base for Baildon Town Council (for which they will enter into a lease and pay a rental);
• To retain a ‘pay and display’ car park on part of the Ian Clough Hall site;
• To identify an appropriate and acceptable use for this key town centre site.

The estimated cost to address all backlog maintenance issues at the Hall is currently estimated at in excess of £1.1million.

The lower tier of car parking would remain in use as “pay & display” public car park, providing circa 40 car spaces, in order to retain a reasonable level of public car parking to support the town centre.

The social club is no longer operational and its members are actively seeking to dispose of the property with vacant possession. The Council has undertaken an independent valuation and agreed a price to purchase the freehold interest with vacant possession which is identified within the confidential appendix A.

The re-configuration works have been costed at £475,000 including fees and contingences (please note that fees and contingencies will cover both elements of works; namely backlog maintenance and reconfiguration).

Following refurbishment, the social club’s use will be re-purposed and provide a modern, ‘fit for purpose’, attractive open plan space for the library, with touch down points and a meeting room which will be available for use by the community. Whilst the building is not Listed, it does sit within a conservation area, and by the Council undertaking these works, not only will the building be more sustainable, but through it refurbishment support the heritage of the town centre.

Options

The options available to the Council are:

1. Close all library provision within Baildon
2. Relocate the library in the former Baildon Social Club
3. Relocate the library elsewhere within Baildon

Option 1: Baildon Library is the 9th busiest library in the District (pre-pandemic figures). Following a strategic review by Library Services, it is clear that the retention of a public library within Baildon is a key priority. Should this local facility have to close down, local residents would need to rely on the Shipley library located approximately 2 miles away.

Furthermore, such an option would be against the agreement the Council has with Baildon Town Council.

Option 2: Relocating the library into the former Baildon Social Club has been assessed as the most cost effective way to re-provide a local facility within Baildon town centre and that will provide a layout that would fulfil the Library Service’s requirements.

Whilst this option relies upon the disposal of one site and the acquisition of another, it has been demonstrated that the benefits of such an approach will outweigh the potential risks.

Option 3: the options appraisal previously undertaken demonstrated that there are very few options for an alternative site suitable for a public library in Baildon, as the majority of existing building floorplates are too small.

Re-providing the facility on site would increase the net cost to the Council and raise the project risk profile as there are ground stability issues under the lower car park due to the culvert that runs below it.

On the basis that a library provision is required within Baildon, it is recommended that Executive Board approves Option 2 to progress.