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An old library building in a Calderdale village could become a shop, if planning permission is granted.

Mr A. S. Chatha is seeking permission to extend and alter Southowram Library at Law Lane, Southowram, into a shop.

Its opening hours would be 7am to 10pm, if permission is granted, according to the proposals submitted to Calderdale Council.

The library was one of several shut down by the authority under its Future Council proposals in 2020 to close and dispose of some of its buildings to help reduce costs and balance the budget, unless the running of them was taken on by volunteer or other community groups to which they might be asset transferred.

An application seeks to turn use of the Southowram Library building into a shop.

Brighouse-based William Henry Smith School had initially explored this, the council reported in summer 2021, but was not taken forward.

The application seeks to change the use of the building and the proposals – the application is numbered 23/00285/FUL – can be viewed online on the council’s Planning Portal.

Plans are revealed to turn old Southowram village library into a shop