A council and developer-builder are blaming each other for delays in fixing more than 60 defects at a new library building that was meant to have opened last summer.
The Sherwood Library in Nottingham was demolished in 2021 and rebuilt to include a supermarket and seven flats, as well as the library.
The Spondon Street facility was meant to open to the public in the summer of 2024 but was delayed, first by the collapse of original contractor Dako Construction and then due to snagging issues after Hockley Developments took on the project.
A Freedom of Information request by a local campaigner, who rallies against cuts to the city’s libraries, and first reported by Nottinghamshire Live, revealed there were 61 outstanding defects as of 2 April.
These included a leaking roof, cracked windows and entrance doors needing to be replaced. Faults in an irrigation system for a green wall were also mentioned in the response.
A Nottingham City Council spokesperson said: “We are continuing to engage with Hockley Developments, who are responsible for carrying out the outstanding work, ahead of reopening the library.
“We remain disappointed that after previous assurances, we are still awaiting confirmation of key dates from them for when these works will take place before we programme in the final fit-out work required to reopen the library.
“We understand how important this facility is to the local community and are committed to opening it as soon as possible, subject to this essential work taking place.”
But a spokesperson for Hockley Developments said it successfully handed over the other parts of the building to residents and Sainsbury’s in 2023 and blamed the council for not appointing it to fit out the library floor at the same time.
“Hockley Developments (Mansfield Road) Ltd handed over the ground floor to Sainsbury’s and the second floor to residential owners successfully in December 2023, and the first floor was handed to Nottingham City Council at the same date,” they said.
“The council preferred to do its own fit out – in hindsight it may have been better if Hockley Developments (Mansfield Road) Ltd had fitted out the first floor as well as the other floors, and this floor could therefore have been occupied at the same time as the other floors.
“Dialogue continues with the council, and assistance is still being given and hopefully Sherwood will see the first floor to this building being occupied as soon as possible, joining the other owners and tenants that have been enjoying the building for the last year.”