Under threat library to become maternity hub

Dreams of a community library remaining in its current home in Far Cotton, Northampton, are now unlikely to come true

The REC Centre

A county council run library is to be closed to make way for an NHS maternity hub.

Despite hopes from the Friends of Far Cotton Library to turn the existing provision based at The REC Centre into a community library, it now looks increasingly unlikely the plan will come to fruition.

Northamptonshire County Council (NCC), which since 2017 has been planning to reduce the amount it spends on its 36 libraries, is in the middle of doing a deal with Northampton General Hospital to use the building for maternity use.

19 libraries in the county currently have statutory protection with the rest being handed over to community groups and volunteers. Higham Ferrers was the first casualty of the move in December 2019 after volunteers decided taking on the task of running a library was too much. Far Cotton Library could be the second to fall.

A spokesperson from Northamptonshire County Council has told NN Journal:

“Far Cotton Library was not identified to be part of the council’s statutor…