WORK is underway to move a town’s main library into a new home.

Over the next year, Peterlee Library will be moved from its current site on Burnhope Way to a new base inside the town’s leisure centre.

Artist’s impression of how the state-of-the-art library will look when it is completed have now been released.

The existing library is owned by supermarket giant Tesco, which bought the former college site and agreed to build a new library next to any store it developed there.

However, in 2015 the company decided not to redevelop the site and attempts to find a buyer for the land proved difficult because the library was viewed as causing uncertainty for potential purchasers.

The council has now reached an agreement with Tesco that will see the company pay £846,000 to buy the library, enabling the site to be cleared and offered for sale.

The council will use the money, along with almost £1 million from its own budget, to develop a new library at the leisure centre and carry out refurbishments to the pool changing area, replacing windows and creating a new reception space.

Users are being warned of disruption while work takes place at the leisure centre, which will be closed until Sunday, September 17 while a temporary reception is created at the side of the building.

Activities will resume on September 18, apart from the pool which will remain closed.

The existing library will close on Friday, December 15 with demolition set to begin in January.

Horden, Shotton, Easington and Blackhall libraries will have extended opening hours until autumn 2018 to allow Peterlee Library customers to access services while relocation work takes place.

The council says it is still considering providing limited library access in Peterlee itself during this period.

A series of consultation and information days will take place to provide customers and residents with further information on progress on the new library.

These will take place at Peterlee Library on Thursday, September 28 from 10am to 2pm; Monday, October 9 from 2pm to 7pm; Saturday, November 11 from 9.30am to 12.30pm and Friday, December 8 from 10am to 5pm.

Cllr Audrey Laing said: “Although the re-location of the library will cause some short-term disruption, the move will deliver a fantastic new facility for residents who will also be able to enjoy improvements to the leisure centre as well.

“It is very exciting to see the artist’s impression of the new library and we will continue to keep people updated as the project progresses.”