Library assured by Sainsbury’s pledge

9:15am Wednesday 28th November 2001

A new, improved library, community hall and day centre for Selsdon has moved another step closer, thanks to a deal over a planned Sainsbury's supermarket for the district's car park site.

Croydon Council has reached an agreement with Sainsbury's that were it to grant planning permission for the car park site, the supermarket chain would agree in turn to meet the costs of a new community complex, comprising an improved library, hall and centre.

Councillor Raj Chandarana, Croydon's cabinet member for cultural services, said: "This is a further significant step towards securing some superb new community facilities for the people of Selsdon.

"It would also provide residents with more choice, with a new supermarket and arguably less need to travel outside the area by car.

"At the end of the day our aim is to improve quality of life in Selsdon and it's important that local traffic issues are resolved before this scheme can proceed."

The present Selsdon Library is the busiest branch library in Croydon, attracting more than 170,000 users a year. The replacement would boast greatly enhanced facilities within a new, larger community complex.

The new community hall would cover an area of 650sq.m more than 155sq.m larger than the current hall. Designed to be used by a wide variety of local groups and organisations, it would include a stage, dressing rooms, toilets, shower room, a caf/bar area, kitchen, seating area, manager's office and a store. Meanwhile, the replacement 250sq.m day centre would maintain its wide variety of support services for local elderly residents and provide new facilities.

Croydon Council is set to earmark nearly £300,000 to help fit-out the new facilities at its next cabinet meeting on Monday November 26.

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