CITY council bosses have agreed to put half a million pounds towards development plans for Haxby Memorial Hall, so the town’s library can have a new home there.

On Monday Cllr Nigel Ayre, the executive member for culture, agreed the funding could be set aside for the Memorial Hall plans.

The proposals would see a new library building go up beside the hall, with a linking section to the Memorial Hall itself.

The £499,000 council funding will go part of the way towards covering the estimated £1 million cost of the new library and link building, with the Memorial Hall trustees responsible for raising the rest of the cash.

Council papers show that if the £553,000 cannot be found within 12 months, the council’s £499,000 may be withdrawn.

At the decision session on Monday Cllr Ayre said that with no other potential development sites available in Haxby suitable for a new library, the Memorial Hall represented a prime location in the centre of town.

He added: “This is challenging but achievable.

“Hopefully we will be able to provide some sustainability for the library.”

The previous Haxby and Wigginton library had to be closed because of building safety fears last summer. It moved temporarily into Oaken Grove community centre, and a new mobile library has been bought to serve the area until a new permanent home is ready.

Demolition of the closed 1960s library building will take place in April, a report prepared for Cllr Ayre added.

On Saturday, March 18 an open day will be held at the Memorial Hall, from 10.30am until 3.30pm, to give people chance to see the plans and ask questions.