THE "much-loved" Gamble Building in the town centre is planned to fully reopen in October 2025 following major improvements to the iconic site.

The council’s cabinet has previously committed to a five-phase programme to bring it back into "full and sustainable" use.

So where are the plans up to?

The third phase, which involved extensive external fabric repairs, was completed in July.

At its meeting on Wednesday, the cabinet is recommended to approve the allocation of £532,519 "from the budget pipeline to the capital programme" to implement the next phase of the property improvement programme, as well as approving the award of a contract.

The council says this will ultimately facilitate the fifth and final phase, being the internal works, which will be subject to separate future approvals and the availability of delivery funding.

What will the building house - and will the library return?

In her report to cabinet, Lisa Harris, executive director of place, says the repurposed Gamble Building will be a place where people can come at any time of the day to meet, work, socialise, learn, and experience.

She adds: “It will offer a range of fixed and flexible activities, anchored by the return of the library and archive.

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“The Gamble Building is a significant and well-loved landmark in the centre of St Helens. However, adaptation and refurbishment works are required to the internal spaces to provide a modern and accessible library and creative learning facility.

“The refurbishment of the main library space offers further opportunities to consider the uses of the upper floors, as well as much needed improvements to basement archival stores, to create a multifunctional creative and learning hub.”

Community hub

In relation to the future fifth phase, in June the cabinet approved the submission of a related bid to the Levelling Up Fund round two for investment in building to create a community hub, for which an outcome is awaited.

Furthermore, the St Helens Town Deal town investment plan also proposed a "healthy communities" project that relates, in part, to the site, which was approved by the cabinet at its meeting in November.

A planning application for work at the site is expected to be submitted in July, with construction work earmarked for completion in March 2025, with the opening to be in October 2025.