Land dispute scuppered library sale, says bidder

Cambridgeshire County Council is looking at other options for the former library on Mill Road

The sale of a historical library building fell through for a second time due to a dispute over a small patch of land at the site, it has been revealed.

The Grade II listed former library in Mill Road, Cambridge, had been earmarked for redevelopment into a mixed arts space.

A bidder who was behind the project, who asked not to be named, said they withdrew after discovering that a small triangle of land adjacent to the building was not fully owned by Cambridgeshire County Council.

The authority said it had been "transparent" about the land ownership issue and was now inviting new proposals.

It marked the second time the authority had tried to sell the old library.

In 2023, children's charity Centre 33 pulled out due to the amount of work it said was needed on the building.

Last October, the county council agreed to sell the building to a new bidder, but the sale fell through earlier this year.

The bidder told the Local Democracy Reporting Service they wanted to create a space hosting music, film, dance, art, and literary events.

They hoped to work with "notable Cambridge alumni" to offer a free arts education programme.

"We engaged in good faith with the council for two-and-a-half years and came to know, like and respect all those we worked with," they said

"But for internal reasons beyond our understanding the council failed to disclose an ownership dispute that meant the building was not fully in its ownership.

"This meant it could not be sold before their deadline, one which we were only made aware of shortly before it expired."

'Transparent'

The building, which dates back to the 19th Century, has been empty for several years.

Campaigners have raised concerns about its deteriorating condition and the lack of public access.

Cambridgeshire County Council confirmed that the site was not currently on the open market and a report outlining next steps was expected to be discussed in January.

"The ownership of a small triangle of land at the end of the building was unknown until recently – the council has worked to resolve this and was transparent with the bidder throughout," a county council spokesperson said.