Banbury Library to relocate to Castle Quay Shopping Centre

The library will leave Marlborough Road and move into the old M&S unit

Banbury Library looks set to relocate to the Castle Quay Shopping Centre following planning permission being granted for change of use at the old M&S store.   Plans show the library occupying most of the first-floor area which used to house menswear, homeware and the M&S café.

Entrance to the library would be via a ground floor foyer at the entrance to the M&S unit opposite Clinton’s.   Modifications to the building on the Bridge Street side would see three of the windows made larger with a fourth filled in.

In a report to Planning Committee Councillors the case officer suggests that the relocation may help increase the number of people visiting the shopping centre: “The proposal will result in the reduction of retail floorspace within the shopping centre; however, a library has a relatively high footfall and may help to encourage the vitality of this part of the town centre.”

Planning permission was sought by Oxfordshire County Council and backed by Banbury Town Council who in the consultation response said they “support the proposal to move the library into a more central position and are content that the external changes proposed will improve the building”.

The current library on Marlborough Road was built around 1884 as a “Mechanics Institute” which included a library.

The old M&S unit in the Castle Quay Shopping Centre has been empty since mid-2020.

It is unclear what the plans are for Marlborough House.   Banbury FM has contacted the County Council and is waiting for further information.

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Published: 27/04/2022 06:00am by Banbury FM Newsteam

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