Saltash Library and community hub is proving to be a warm space with major works on the front glass facade of the building now complete.

In an opening on Friday, January 10, the public was officially welcomed back to the library after it closed in October for the replacement of the front elevation. Library services from the hub at Plougastel Drive were relocated to Saltash Town Council’s Guildhall for the duration of the three month project.

Chair of the Saltash Town Council Cllr Julia Peggs said: “It’s a relief and pleasure to see how great the front facade of the library now looks. We started before Covid and gained planning permission but then the building was listed and we had to start again from the beginning including a change in building regulations. It’s definitely been worth the wait.”

The front aluminium and glass facade of the library has not been changed since it was built in the 1960s. The height and open plan nature allowed for a spacious foyer but also meant it was a chilly and unwelcoming space.

All library services were relocated during the installation of the new glass frontage. (Picture: STC)
All library services were relocated during the installation of the new glass frontage. (Picture: Saltash Town Council) ( )

A public consultation held in 2020 supported the town council’s vision to update the library after it was devolved to the council from Cornwall Council.

The project, funded through a Public Works Loan, has cost the town council £150,000 leaving £50,000 to complete works which will include new toilets for staff and the public and window replacement work on the side panels which should take place in March. The council hopes to complete all works on the library hub this year.

Community Hub leader Dave Orton said: “After 60 years we now have our new windows installed and immediately can feel benefits for our customers as a warm and welcoming community environment with immediate energy savings.”

Horizon Home Improvements and Architectural Glazing, a family business trading in the local area for 20 years won the contract to complete the work. General manager Aidan Libby, said: “We’ve worked on a lot of residential and commercial projects like here in the library.

The old aluminium and glass frontage was cold, and had water damage making the spacious foyer area of the library hub drafty and hard to heat. (Picture: STC)
The old aluminium and glass frontage was cold, and had water damage making the spacious foyer area of the library hub drafty and hard to heat. (Picture: Saltash Town Council) ( )

“It’s a proud moment to have been selected to work on a local, historical project. Normally national companies come in and do these kind of works so it was nice to keep everything local. A lot of the guys that fitted it live locally as well.

“It is a big project but when you break it down, it is just a big window. It’s the biggest one we’ve done but it doesn’t matter whether it’s four metres or 10 metres, it still goes together the same way.

“You can definitely see the benefit and feel the benefit of it. When we looked at it nearly two years ago, you couldn’t see out through any of the glass, it was cold, whereas now we’ve kept the outside looking as it was, which was the main objective, but it’s so much warmer.

“Even the library staff have said they’ve had to lose layers while they’re working which shows a massive impact straight away which is good.”