CHORLTON LIBRARY

That this House recognises Chorlton Library as one of South Manchester's most iconic, historic and beautiful buildings; notes that Chorlton Library was funded by a £5,000 donation from Dr Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish-American steel magnate and philanthropist and was opened just three months after the start of the First World War on 4 November 1914 by the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Alderman McCabe, the first time a sitting Lord Mayor of Manchester had officially visited Chorlton; further notes that the building was designed by the first City Architect of Manchester, Henry Price, who also designed the Grade II listed Didsbury Library and many other Manchester landmarks such as Victoria Baths and that the original plans for the building sent to Dr Carnegie were lost in the North Atlantic on-board the RMS Titanic; further notes that Manchester City Council is planning to vacate the current building and relocate library services to a new Joint Service Centre while giving the current library building away to property developers to help cover the costs; further recognises that whilst there is currently no specific threat to the building, its future will be uncertain once it is no longer in the ownership of the City Council; believes that it is important that the Chorlton Library building is protected for future generations; welcomes the recent community campaign led by Councillor Victor Chamberlain to have the building listed for its historical and architectural merits; and urges English Heritage to recommend that the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport grant the building listed status so that it is protected from unsympathetic development or demolition and can continue to be enjoyed by generations for years to come.