PLANS TO TURN Neath’s historic former Library building at Victoria Gardens into a Creative Hub have been given the go ahead by members of Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet.
The former Library building has remained vacant since its closure in March 2023 following the opening of the modern library in the new leisure and retail development in Neath town centre.
At their meeting on Wednesday, July 10th, 2024, Cabinet members agreed the building should now house workspaces and offices for the creative and cultural industries.
These will include digital, writing, illustration, photography, podcasting, events, consultancy and associated professional services.
The Cabinet also agreed to begin the process of finding an organisation to lease and operate the building.
The Creative Hub option chosen by the cabinet was recommended by arts consultancy Counter Culture whose feasibility study said two other options – a free to enter museum and a different kind of Creative Hub involving “messy” workspaces for the likes of painting and sculpture – would not be commercially viable.
However, the council is looking at museum options via a study secured through the Shared Prosperity Fund’s Heritage, Culture, Tourism and Events Fund.
The library has been listed as Grade II for its special architectural interest as a significant civic building within the town of Neath.
The listing adds: “An accomplished and well detailed building, it is also important for its historic interest in displaying the provision of free lending facilities and the ambitious interest in civic improvement during the later Victorian period.”
Cllr Cen Phillips, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Nature, Tourism and Wellbeing, said: “It is important the vacant old Neath Library building will now be brought back into beneficial use as a Creative Hub.
“It is an iconic building in the centre of Neath. Dating back to 1904 it has served many generations of the people of Neath and surrounding areas and is one of the town’s most well known buildings.
“However as the years have gone by the task of delivering a modern-day library service in an Edwardian building has become a challenge so it is a good outcome that we’ll retain it in Neath with a new life as a Creative Hub.”
The decision is subject to a statutory three day call-in period.
