A PLAN to save Ast- ley Bridge’s iconic Carnegie library building has been submitted to Bolton Council.

The proposal, which will include a commu- nity archive, will not retain the library serv- ice and relies on coun- cil bosses to keep funding the building for the next three years.

The closing date for business plans to retain the five libraries due to close under council plans, including Astley Bridge, Oxford Grove, Heaton, Highfield and Castle Hill, was yester- day. In October, finance chiefs invited residents to submit business plans, detail- ing how they would pay the rent, upkeep and running costs, after outrage from res- idents about the pro- posed closures.

Any group running Astley Bridge’s library would need to pay £2,250 per month and invest £57,000 on roof repairs.

The Bolton News: story