RESIDENTS have been given new hope that a derelict library could be reopened as a community centre after a company offered to lease the building on their behalf.

Campaigners want Walthamstow's St James Street library, which closed in 2007, to be used as a base and meeting place for clubs, groups and charities, but were outraged earlier this year when the council proposed selling it at auction to the highest bidder.

But after lobbying by residents the council's cabinet member for resources, Cllr Afzal Akram, did agree to consider bids from the community before any sale.

And now that hope appears a step closer to reality after Alert Ltd, which owns Community Place in Leyton, offered to rent the building from the authority for five years and then sub-let it back to local groups.

Campaigners have also been given a further boost after their plans were shortlisted for a grant assistance by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) group.

Around 600 community groups across the country have applied for NESTA grants this year, but only 40 have made the shortlist.

Janet Wright, of the Blackhorse Action Group, said: “The NESTA shortlisting is a terrific achievement, and it shows how strongly we made our case.

"We've not only shown that our community needs the library building, we've also proved that we have the ideas, energy and expertise to make a success of it.”

She added: “And as long as the council accepts Alert's offer, we'll be able to work on creating a new community space in the St James Street building.”

Ruth Duncan, of the St James Street Library Campaign, said: “It's the best news we've had in years.

“We hope to hear about the grant application in January or February, so we really want the council to defer any decision on the auction for as long as they can.”

But Cllr Akram told the Guardian: “We've received an expression of interest but so far we have not had a formal written offer from anybody, so as things stand we still intend on having the auction.

“The cabinet agreed to dispose of the building during this financial year so it will have to be held in the next few months.

“If someone offers to buy it at market value or rent it on a long lease then I'm willing to look at that option.

“If we had a bid for something like a community type centre then it would be win-win for everybody but my job is to maximise taxpayers' money.”

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