Plans submitted for new extension at Boldon and Cleadon Community Library

Plans to boost facilities at a South Tyneside community library have been submitted to borough development bosses.

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has received an application for Boldon and Cleadon Community Library which sits off Boker Lane, between West Boldon and East Boldon.

The application sets out plans for a single-storey extension to help the library boost its current capacity and ensure its long-term viability.

A design and access statement submitted to council officials provides details on the scale of the library project and its aims.

Those behind the project said the extension would be at the front of the building, adjacent to the existing entrance, and would provide “much-needed additional floor space”.

It was argued that the extension was in line with council planning policies, particularly around a policy “promoting the enhancement and expansion of community facilities to ensure their long-term viability and accessibility”.

The design and access statement added: “The library currently operates as a vital community resource, offering books, computers, room hire, and a variety of regular activities and special events for all ages.

“The proposal involves the erection of a single-storey flat roof extension, adding approximately 35m2 of floor space to the existing facility, which is currently 171m2.

“The extension is necessary due to the library’s successful operation and expansion beyond its current capacity”.

Although the extension will take up a grassed area, applicants said the “existing landscaping provides a welcoming environment for patrons and the addition of the extension will not significantly detract from this aspect”.

It was also noted that the extension would “enhance the functionality and capacity of the library, ultimately benefiting the community it serves”, and that its design “ensures that disabled access remains unaffected, and parking arrangements remain unchanged”.

A decision on the planning application will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.

Comments can be made on the application, via South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website, until May 25, 2024.

For more information on the plan or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: ST/0268/24/FUL