PARKHEAD Library could move into a new East End healthcare hub as part of a £2.5million scheme which would pave the way for the regeneration of Parkhead Cross.

The plan would see one of the city’s Carnegie-funded libraries moved from its Grade B-listed building at the corner of Tollcross Road and Helenvale Street to the proposed East End Health and Social Care Partnership Hub (HSCP) building.

This hub, costing around £40m, will accommodate a number of services at the former Parkhead Hospital site on Salamanca Street, including GP facilities, pharmacies and dental surgeries.

City chiefs are set to decide whether to hand over funding for the library relocation when they meet on Thursday.

If approved, the move would allow a ‘masterplan’ to be drawn up for the redevelopment of Parkhead Cross, where the Grade-B listed ‘The Steamie’, a former washhouse, and a four-storey ex-primary school are also located.

Councillor Kenny McLean, city convener for Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm, said: “Parkhead Library is a well-loved and well-used feature of the area’s community life, and the opportunity to move to a new building offers the chance to ensure that even more people use its services.

“Community hubs such as the one proposed for Parkhead will allow local people to access the services they need in one location, with the benefits that this brings.

“Given the great quality and heritage of these buildings at or near Parkhead Cross, a masterplan for the area will define how best they can be used for the local community.”

Council officers looked at the possibility of including some of the authority’s services in the HSCP’s hub before presenting the plan to the partnership’s governance board.

Almost 70,000 people visited Parkhead Library last year, however there have been accessibility issues as there are no parking facilities nearby and the building does not comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.

In addition to the adult and children’s library sections, Parkhead Library also hosts services from Clyde Gateway, Macmillan, Jobs and Business Glasgow, Citizens Advice among others.

The council believes there would be a number of advantages from locating the library in the proposed hub, including offering the public a ‘one-stop shop’ for services from Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life and the HSCP. Officers hope a hub café in the new library would attract more visitors, particularly those who rarely enter libraries.

Currently, building operating costs are around £41,000 a year and there is an estimated maintenance backlog of £515,000. Last month, the council approved £450,000 of funding for the library. “This will not only address the immediate issues of the backlog maintenance needs and accessibility challenges but will also prepare it for a sustainable future use,” a report to councillors states.

With the hub planned to open in 2023, the council has three years to carry out the repairs.