Liverpool Council has rejected a proposal by Boylesports (UK) to convert the former Breck Road Library in Everton into a betting shop. The planning department turned down the application, citing the loss of a community asset and the existing number of betting shops in the area.
The former library on The Mall had been dormant for months. Campaigners had fought to have it reopened since it closed amid a rent dispute with Liverpool Council last year. Since 2015, the Breck Road site and a location in Dovecot had been managed on behalf of the council by charity Alt Valley Community Trust.
Campaigners' Efforts and Council's Decision
Since the library shut, campaigners have used weekends to set up outside the building, lobbying for support to urge the council to reopen it. Last summer, the council stopped providing funds for those services as the rent row continued.
After an agreement could not be reached, the council activated a break clause in its head lease with the building's owners and took possession of Breck Road Library. It has remained closed since.
Objections and Application Details
Objections came from the council's public health team, who argued that another betting shop would "increase the accessibility, visibility and normalisation of gambling within an area experiencing high levels of deprivation and health inequality."
The decision notice stated the proposal "involves the permanent loss of a community asset" and that insufficient evidence had been provided that it is surplus to requirements. Boylesports had proposed dividing the building into two units, with the smaller part offered back to the community, but planning officials dismissed this, saying a potential sub-unit was "not of a size that would allow a reasonable community use as it is not flexible, adaptable and capable of multi use."
Safety Concerns and Community Response
Concerns were also raised about insufficient information on CCTV provision, lighting, security measures, staff safety arrangements, and the long-term management of the premises. City planners said they could not be satisfied the development "would provide a safe and secure environment or adequately minimise opportunities for crime and anti-social behaviour."
Ruth Knox, from the Everton and Anfield Need a library campaign, urged the council to reconsider its decision on the end of library services at the site. She said: "If the council really wants to provide a library service to the community, they now have the ideal opportunity. They should renew the lease on the building and reopen it as a proper Liverpool branch library immediately."
