A MORE accessible replacement is being loosely earmarked for Rayners Lane Library - right next door.

The building, in Imperial Drive, South Harrow, is recommended to be declared “surplus to requirements” by Conservative-run Harrow Council’s cabinet committee this evening (Thursday) and sold off alongside a clutch of other public locations to generate income for the authority.

Executive councillors are advised to approve the ‘in principle’ disposal of the property to the owner of the adjacent Talbot House on the agreement the four-floor library would closed and reopened in Talbot House on the ground floor only.

Labour ward councillor for Rayners Lane, Krishna Suresh, said: “It would be a great loss if they are relocating it somewhere else without replacing it - I’ll start protesting and doing a petition straight away.

“When I was doing once-a-month walk-in surgeries, I saw people lots of people, from kids to the elderly, using the library. “They’re 100 per cent utilising the library.”

Councillors are told in a report there are no suitable properties elsewhere in the neighbourhood to where the library could relocate and the library building has no other suitable use for which it makes sense for the council to hold on to it and incur further maintenance costs.

Councillor Stephen Wright (Conservative), Harrow Council’s cabinet member for property and major contracts, said: “The library service in Rayners Lane will remain open.

“What is being proposed is a new library to replace an unsuitable four-floor building which local residents have told us is difficult for people with disabilities, special needs or pushing buggies to access.

“Discussions are at an early stage with potential developers and the council will ensure the library service in Rayners Lane is maintained during any transition period.

“If the proposals go forward, this project would be a good value for money deal for local people as they would get a 21st Century purpose-built library funded through the development.

“Residents would, of course, be consulted on the design of the new library and its services.”

The report says of the sell-off proposal: “This would provide better operational accommodation rent-free and realise a larger capital receipt to the council in view of the special purchaser status of the adjacent owner and the combined marriage value potential of the two properties.

“The library service has been consulted on the proposal and are broadly in favour; however, this is at an early stage and the council await further details and plans from the developer.

“At this stage the council have not received an offer nor are they committed and have merely expressed an interest in principle so as to encourage the developer to incur professional costs in providing more detailed plans and costings.”

OTHERS PROPOSED ‘SURPLUS TO REQUIREMENTS’:

n 109 Locket Road, Harrow - ex-house for caretaker at Belmont School

n The Lodge, West Harrow Cemetery, Clamp Hill, Stanmore - ex-parks caretaker house

n 51 The Gardens, West Harrow - ex-house for caretaker at Vaughan Primary School

n Public lavatories, Whitchurch Lane, Edgware - closed public toilets suitable for residential redevelopment

n 76 Marlborough Hill, Harrow - former mental health resource centre closed in June

n Bentley Day Care Centre, Uxbridge Road, Harrow Weald - day care centre that is to close

n Wood Farm Cottage, Wood Lane, Stanmore - let to developer of Wood Farm and will be sold in December

n 231a Station Road, Harrow - fire-damaged maisonette above shop parade

n Site off Elm Park, to the rear of 52 to 58 Church Road, Stanmore - vacant backland plot last used in 1997 as a temporary car park

n Former parkkeeper’s house, Donnefield Avenue, Stanmore - house will be used as base by Canons Park Safer Neighbourhood Team until November

n Public lavatories, Greenhill Way, Harrow - shut former public toilet block suitable for residential redevelopment