Peacehaven Library staying at Meridian Centre a "victory for the community"

The Peacehaven MP commented on the recent news that the town library is to remain in its current location following the recent sale of the Meridian Shopping Centre to Morrisons.

Mr Russell-Moyle said: “This is a victory for our community, I have no doubt that East Sussex County Council would have gone through with this plan if it wasn't for the incredible campaign run locally.

"The site is going to be redeveloped so we know there will be changes in the future but we are in a far better position now to get a better deal for Peacehaven and Telscombe residents.”

East Sussex County Council’s planning committee originally planned for the library to be temporarily moved to the Joff Centre while the Meridian Centre site had been redeveloped.

However, plans to relocate have now been put on hold, and the library will remain in the Meridian Centre following confirmation that the current site will remain operational until early 2024.

In December, Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP joined campaigners, who protested plans to relocate Peacehaven Library.

Campaigners said the relocation was putting their library in a 'cupboard'.

The Joff Centre site would have been 39 square metres and three metres wide, with a substantial amount of that space taken up by lavatories.

Councillor Chris Collier, co-leader of the Labour group on Lewes District Council, said: “The news that East Sussex County Council have put their plans to move the Peacehaven and Telscombe library to a cupboard at the back of the Joff will have come as a great relief to the whole community.

"The outpouring of support from local residents for their library was huge and clearly had an impact. It’s obviously disappointing that the scheme was taken through the planning process, only to be put on hold for the reasons we continually raised, but in the end the community has won.”

East Sussex County Council said it received assurances from Morrisons that the current centre will be appropriately managed and maintained over the next two years.

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