Community involved in Paignton Library project

Paignton Library – expected to open in September – is already involving local people and organisations.

The constructor, BAM has held seven site visits for schools and local people. Pupils from one Paignton school visited as part of their local regeneration project, which involved students finding out how the area in and around the library would benefit their community.

The Friends of Paignton Library has also been on several site visits and is currently working with BAM on a reading garden in the library. This involves working with local schools and colleges to design a garden within the library, as well as plant and maintain the garden in the coming years.

Cabinet Member for Community Services, Councillor Dave Butt, said: "It's good to see schools and other organisations taking such an interest in this project. This will be a central community facility, which will provide so many important services and facilities for people in Paignton and it is great that they are being involved at this early stage of the project. I would like to thank BAM for all the work they are doing to make this possible."

BAM project manager Martin Symonds said: "We are committed to forming strong relationships with the local community from the earliest stages of a project.

"We will be providing all the plants and shrubs for the reading garden. This will continue our relationship with the local community and provide a lasting legacy in Paignton"

The £6.4 million project on Station Lane is being funded by Torbay Council and the Big Lottery Fund. It is on one of many sites across Torbay which has been earmarked for development by the council and its regenerative arm, the Torbay Development Agency (TDA).

The 2,245 square metre building will include a new state of the art library, a meeting room, a media suite, a café and centralised facilities for a number of agencies. It is expected to open in September 2010.