Works on the transformed Millom Community Hub are complete and the new home for public services is now open.
The modernised building brings together public and community services in a fit-for-purpose setting, from which the public can access a range of services, including Millom Library, Adult Learning, Health and Wellbeing team (HAWCS), Revenue and Benefits, Copeland Borough Council and Millom School Reception alongside office bases for the NHS and Police.
The building that previously housed Millom Library (on St George’s Road) will be used by Sellafield Ltd for their Millom based staff and those in the surrounding area. This will bring an increased footfall within the town during the day to complement other projects that form part of the Town Deal. Sellafield Ltd are taking on an extensive renovation, bringing further investment into the town.
The transformed hub provides a modernised setting for the library amongst a range of other public services. The relocated library has new shelving and furniture, comfortable seating areas, a dedicated teen space and a fantastic children’s library. Library staff, as well as books, public use PCs, printing facilities, free Wi-Fi and other resources have relocated to the new hub, and the new library is trialling longer opening hours.
Plans to host a community open day to celebrate the newly transformed building are underway with a date soon to be announced.
Cllr Deborah Earl, Cumbria County Council Cabinet Member for Public Health and Community Services, said:
“This is a significant investment project to transform Millom Community Hub. It brings together a variety of public services under one roof, and creates a fantastic, modernised setting for the library. Thank you to all partners that have worked with Cumbria County Council colleagues on this project to ensure that the redesigned building provides a wonderful space for the whole community to enjoy.”
Cllr Keith Hitchen, Cumbria County Council Chair of Copeland Local Committee, said:
“This is a very exciting project for Millom. It has created a new home for public services, accommodated in a modern setting with improved parking facilities. It’s located near the train station, over the road from the town’s largest housing estate, and provides the perfect location for the people of the town to access a variety of council services.”
Gary McKeating, Head of Community and Development at Sellafield Ltd, said:
“The hub continues to provide the services previously available, as they remain important to the residents of Millom. £250k of funding from Sellafield Ltd’s social impact programme ‘Social Impact Multiplied’ has enabled the hub to provide an enhanced level of services to the local community. This is a key part of the overall package that brought the Millom offices project to fruition alongside our wider support to the area through the Millom Town Deal.”