St Helens reveals Gamble Building vision
CGIs providing insight on the proposed extension and internal refurbishment and repurposing of the historic Victoria Square building have been released.
Produced by project architect Donald Insall Associates, the images show the main elements of the proposals, including a new fully accessible entrance foyer, a purpose-built archive facility with environment control, a youth hub, café and communal spaces within an upgraded St Helens Library intended to be the ‘living room’ of St Helens.
Plans also include a Business Connect Service and flexible office space on the upper floors.
A public engagement event is being held today at the World of Glass as the local authority outlines its thinking on how heritage-led design will dovetail with modern, future-proofed facilities. World of Glass is also currently housing St Helens’ archive on a temporary basis.
The Gamble Building, most of which has been closed off to the public in recent years, has already undergone around £1.2m of external repair works.
Works on the internal redevelopment are underway already, with Krol Corlett on site delivering enabling works including asbestos removal, removal of redundant equipment and outdated facilities, and the stripping of flooring and false ceilings to prepare the site for the main works.
St Helens’ cabinet signed off a £1.4m package two months ago to advance the enabling works and take the restoration works scheme to RIBA Stage Four. Detailed plans are due to be submitted soon.
Cllr Richard McCauley, cabinet member for regeneration at St Helens Council, said: “It is fantastic to share these images offering an insight to our vision for the Gamble Building with residents and stakeholders.
“As a council, we made a commitment to bring the Gamble Building back to its former glory and these images demonstrate the bold ambition we have for the next chapter of this historic landmark.
“The designs allow people to understand our vision for the Gamble and how it truly will act as the living room of our Borough where there is something for everyone to access, enjoy and feel proud of now and for future generations.”
Click any image to launch gallery
- Can this be the town's new lving roon? Credit: St Helens Council
- A youth hub is planned. Credit: St Helens Council
- A climate-controlled archive is among the plans. Credit: St Helens Council
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Visuals look good, but didn’t they get artist’s impressions out just before the last local elections too, 4 years ago…
By Day Dreams
I just hope the council and planners remember that libraries are supposed to contain books as the images are very pretty but where are the books?
By Simon Davis
So many kids are going to grow up not knowing the feeling of going into a library and running to the section just for them and seeing so many they find it hard to choose just one because apparently modernising means no longer having physical books
By KDavis
This sort of stuff is nice, but it doesn’t transform economies. It will make an otherwise tired town centre look a bit better, but the funding required to deliver this would be better spent attracting actual employers to the town and wider city region. Once that has succeeded, we only then can use the wealth it generates to fluff up the town centre. Squandered
By Squandered
What happened to all the old museum pieces I remember going to see the birds and egg collection and old fossils etc
By Paul