THE CONTENTIOUS closure of Darlington’s Crown Street Library has moved a step closer with the official submission of planning proposals.

Planning applications have been submitted detailing the proposed relocation of existing library services from Crown Street Library to the Dolphin Centre.

The move to the leisure centre will result in the strongly opposed closure of the historic Crown Street building, which will eventually be put on the market.

Darlington Borough Council’s plans to move library services from the Grade II listed library to the nearby leisure centre were outlined earlier this year as part of a programme of dramatic budget cuts.

Thousands of people registered their objection to the proposals during an impassioned consultation period.

And despite a long-running campaign to save the much-loved library from closure, council members voted at the end of June to approve the controversial plans.

The authority’s director of resources, Paul Wildsmith, has now submitted two planning applications to the council for consideration.

Within the applications, opening hours for the new library service are detailed – however, the hours are shorter than those outlined by the council during its consultation period.

A spokesman from DBC told The Northern Echo that the longer hours initially proposed were the ones that would be implemented.

Outlined in the papers are proposals concerning the partial demolition and remodelling of parts of the Dolphin Centre.

An application for listed building consent to allow alterations, extension or demolition of a listed building has also been submitted.

Although that application was signed in April, the DBC spokesman said it was not submitted until after the council had voted to approve the changes to library services.

He added: “This paperwork was part of legitimate preparation work carried out by officers while the library proposals were being consulted on, in order to ensure timely progress in the event of a decision to progress being made.”

Under the description of proposed work, it says: “Internal demolitions to include formation of link openings to eastern walls to allow access to Dolphin Centre.

“Opening up of existing internal walls to increase floor area for proposed library use.”

The report states that the work is necessary to provide link access with the Dolphin Centre and to increase usable floor space for library use.

Objections and comments must be made by August 24.