Council approves demolition of derelict structures behind Darwen Library for town center improvements.
A council member, Paul Marrow, supports the plan, thinking it is an improvement. Dave Smith, another council member, also likes it. It’s part of a bigger project. The town center will get £6.64 million, which will also help the market hall.
Earlier plans for a golf academy were dropped, and the council will use that money instead. That’s £2.5 million from the Town Deal. The same money will go to the Darwen Market and also aid the Civic Quarter project. Library complex improvements are starting soon.
Gavin Prescott spoke to council members, saying they will remove two buildings: a detached outbuilding and a small brick structure. These removals start a bigger library renovation. Future plans will show full details.
The larger building was an electricity substation, but records for its building are missing. The substation might be from the 1960s. The smaller brick building is older, and removing these buildings won’t hurt the view.
Raymond Harrison designed Darwen Library, and Andrew Carnegie funded it in 1908. You see the library well from Market Square. Knott Street also offers great views, showing the building’s style and dome.
Darwen embraced public libraries very early, allowing open access to books. People could browse before borrowing. Darwen may have hired the first female head librarian way back in 1890.