The future use of the old Ashburton Library building located on Ashburton Park is an issue of great interest to local people and something that the three local ward councillors have never let slip off the agenda.
However, given that Croydon Council has recently set out a clear plan to return the building to an appropriate community use, the current, misleading campaign run by the local Labour Party is as disappointing as it is misinformed.
Many people will remember that the problems with the building started when the previous Labour Council included the Library building as part of the Ashburton Learning Village PFI project, run by the construction company Jarvis.
The intended use of the building was for a children’s nursery but this became financially unviable following the collapse of Jarvis Construction. Since being vacated in 2006, the building has sadly, significantly deteriorated.
Having explored a number of options, the Conservative Council has now decided to advertise the long leasehold of the property for community use.
It is hoped that with a wide marketing exercise, this will result in a suitable organisation coming forward with the foresight and resources to fund the significant costs of ensuring that the building can be used for the good of the whole community in a viable and sustainable manner.
Gareth Streeter
Ward Chairman, Ashburton Conservatives
- Send your letters to: letters@croydonguardian.co.uk
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