Offers for the former Mill Road Library building are set to be discussed on Tuesday 15 October 2024 at the county council’s Assets & Procurement Committee.
The bidding process was open to both community and commercial investors, with the county council keen to encourage as much interest as possible to secure the best future for this historic building. A total of 26 viewings were arranged for a range of potential bidders and seven bids were received including community bids. Two public open afternoons were also held.
Councillors are set to review not only the financial bid made but also whether the offer delivers wider benefits for the local community. Planning restrictions mean the building can only be used as a school, museum, gallery, library, hall, place of worship, training centre or similar non-residential facility. The council is legally required to obtain what is known as ‘best consideration’ for all building sales. This ensures that the most viable bid is accepted only after social, economic and environmental considerations have been assessed.
Officers have recommended a bidder with a strong community arts focus. The bidder has expertise in the sector, the financial resources to pursue the project quickly and is keen to preserve the architectural merits of the building and engage with the local community, if their bid is taken forward. The historic building was put back on the market earlier in the year, after the previous preferred bidder decided not to continue with their proposals for a new charity HQ due to estimated construction costs exceeding their budget.
Mill Road Library is as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). This means that the sale is subject to a detailed process which gives local community groups the opportunity to bid as part of the sale The ACV process has been followed in full by the county council. This process is managed by Cambridge City Council. This designation does not determine who can buy the building or the price.
Surveys following the end of the building lease back in 2019 revealed a need for urgent repairs. The council invested extensively in the building to eliminate damp and fix stonework, brickwork and windows. The quality of the work was commended at the Greater Cambridge Design and Construction awards.
Cllr Ros Hathorn, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Assets and Procurement Committee, added: “We are keen to ensure the future of this notable historic building. It’s been several years now since Mill Road library served the community - and nearly 20 years since the last books were issued.”
“We were pleased to see a high level of interest in the building from a variety of bidders and to see more than one bidder with a community focus.
“I’d like to reassure local residents that any decision on the future use of the building will be subject to environmental and social considerations, as well as the financial offer made.
“We look forward to hearing about the bids that have been made, as we look to find an appropriate long-term guardian for this listed building.”
The former Mill Road Library is a Grade II listed building in central Cambridge, which was built around 1892 and opened to residents five years later. The building has been owned by Cambridgeshire County Council since the 1970s. The library closed in 1996. It was previously leased to an Indian Community and Cultural Association until 2019, and then let on a temporary basis to the Hill Group until early 2023.
The property, which is in the Mill Road Conservation Area, was marketed by Gerald Eve, with a guide price of £700,000.
