On Monday 23 October 2023, the Newham Local Development Committee approved the full planning application and granted Listed Building Consent for the former Canning Town Library.
- The full planning and listed building consent achieved will enable the next stages of work to bring this important civic asset back into use
- The new building will be more sustainable and accessible for residents
On Monday 23 October 2023, the Newham Local Development Committee approved the full planning application and granted Listed Building Consent for the former Canning Town Library. The approval is an important milestone in the Council’s considerable efforts to reinvigorate and bring back into use underutilised assets for local Newham communities.
The former Canning Town Library is a Newham Council designated heritage asset that received funding for improvements as part of the government-funded Levelling Up bids in 2021. Since the current Canning Town Library was relocated to Rathbone Market in 2017, the site has remained vacant and the building has gradually fallen into a state of disrepair.
The now-approved proposal designed through the Council’s co-design process following extensive engagement with residents, will involve the refurbishment of the existing building and the erection of a rear extension to create a community archive and museum on the ground floor with an ancillary café. The upper floors of the building will feature dedicated classroom space, additional kitchen facilities and large hall and associated offices that will be leased out to voluntary and community sector organisations.
Alongside the refurbishment, extensive work will be undertaken to retrofit the building to make it more climate-efficient, aiming to cut energy use by over 350%. These will include internal alterations; improved insulation; replacement windows,roof lights and doors, and the installation of solar panels, heat pumps and a new mechanical ventilation system.
The unique heritage of the building will be restored sensitively focusing on enhancing the buildings’ historic windows, doors, rooves and plasterwork, together with repairs and cleaning to brick and stonework. With new electrical and mechanical services planned throughout, the building will host a range of digital and audio-visual installations for the first time: firmly bringing this Victorian building into the 21st century. Accessibility will also be improved through the installation of lifts, ramps, level changes and improved disabled parking.
The Council is continuing to progress work to procure a contractor to develop the scheme for construction and enable a start-on-site in Spring 2024 to deliver this exciting cultural and heritage project.
For the latest update on the former Canning Town Library, please visit the co-create page or email regeneration@newham.gov.uk.