A COURT date has been set for a hearing that could determine the future of a historic library.

Last year, a high court judge said there was "just about enough" evidence for him to order further scrutiny of contentious proposals to close Darlington’s historic Crown Street Library.

Mr Justice King presided over a hearing at Leeds Combined Court that concluded with his decision to order a further hearing before a judge into plans by Darlington Borough Council (DBC) to cut and change library services across the town.

It has now been confirmed that the hearing, which is scheduled for two days and will be presided over by a high court judge, will take place at Leeds Combined Court on June 18.

The hearing was granted on the grounds that criticisms of the council’s consultation procedures could be argued in court and therefore warranted further scrutiny.

The plans would see Crown Street closed, with the majority of its resources transferred to the Dolphin Centre, while Cockerton Library will be handed to volunteers.

The town’s mobile library service has already been axed as part of the proposals, which were announced in 2016 as part of a £12.5m programme of budget cuts.

Following the first hearing last November, campaigners said they were pleased by the decision which they argue shows that the council "got things wrong", while the authority said it was "heartened" by the ruling after the judge rejected some of the protesters' arguments.