Lewisham library reopening delayed by a year to autumn 2027
A major revamp of Lewisham library currently underway has been hit by a year’s delay.
It’s now set to open in autumn 2027 according to a reply given at a Lewisham Council meeting last week.
That compares to the latest timescale previously given of autumn 2026 reopening meaning the borough’s main library will have been shut for four years in total.
In an answer to the public, Cllr Hau-Yu Tam, cabinet member for communities, sanctuary and healing, stated:
“Since taking office, we have been briefed on delays affecting the Lewisham Library renovation project.
“The completion of the renovation works has been delayed due to the need to rectify some unexpected issues with the secondary structure of the building, namely the brickwork that sits around the concrete core.
“Unfortunately, these issues could not be identified until the main works were underway. Officers are working with the architects, structural engineers and contractors to address these issues and finalise the revised programme.
“The expected opening date is now Autumn 2027”
Funds
The delays isn’t a great surprise given work took an age to begin. An upgrade is part of the wider Lewisham town centre project which is also seeing the High Street revamped and a market pavilion built.
Back in February 2023 the previous government awarded Lewisham Council £19 million from the “Levelling Up Fund”, which saw an additional £5 million in Council match funding. That included £3.6 million from Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) revenue and £200,000 of Section 106 income.
Funding for the library was costed at £8 million. Lewisham Council sold the Library Resource Centre at 315 Hither Green Lane to help fund the project. The exact costs back in 2024 were split between £6,193,764 in levelling up funding grant and £1,797,000 in Lewisham Council funds.
Changes
Originally the library was to see a rooftop bar but that idea was dropped in 2024. At that time Lewisham Council stated:
“Construction work starting on-site early next year. This will take 12-15 months to complete (including contingency), after which the library service will need to return to the building, alongside operators of the café and the business hub.
“It is anticipated that this state of the art building, with enhanced library and civic spaces, will re-open to the public in the summer of 2026.”
Other delays appear to include the Clocktower refurbishment which was listed earlier this year as being undertaken in spring/summer 2026. Based on a visit in recent days it has yet to begin.
A follow-up post will take a look more widely at how the town centre upgrade is looking.
Is anyone really surprised? Some of us have long suspected the central library would never reopen, given the endless structural problems and unsuitable location of the present building. Sadly, the Greens seem as uninterested as Labour in giving Lewisham a library system to be proud of. Lots of waffling about sanctuary and healing, but no officer listed as having responsibility for libraries. Meanwhile the much-vaunted “Lewisham model for libraries” is imploding. No money for repairs to volunteer-run buildings which are regularly closed because volunteers fail to turn up. All but a handful of qualified librarians have been sacked, so no professional help for children doing the Summer Reading Challenge. Lewisham’s libraries are the worst in London. Wake up, Greens!