Bury Council responds to ‘speculation’ over sale of Whitefield library

Wednesday, 11 June 2025 21:47

By Chris Gee, Local Democracy Reporter

Bury Council has responded to online ‘speculation’ about the sale of Whitefield Library.

In February, this year, the authority said the building, owned by the local authority, was set to be purchased by NHS Property Services.

Bury Council said the acquisition would enable the NHS to redevelop the ex-library site for health services with Whitefield Medical Centre, also known as The Uplands, moving to the site.

Whitefield Library closed in 2017 and the building was subsequently used as a Covid vaccination centre from October, 2020 to September, 2022.

Earlier this week, the council responded to what it termed ‘social media speculation’ about the site, referring to allegations being circulated
that the building sale could have breached the 1972 Local Government Act (Section 123) by not being put on the open market.

An internal council email, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service after being published on social media, seemed to suggest that there may have been a breach of land sale legislation. However a Bury Council spokesman said the email in question ‘relates to a difference of opinion by two council departments regarding the sale of the site’.

The spokesman added: “Because of this, we sought external legal advice from counsel to clarify the position.

“The advice we received was categorical – that this sale was indeed conducted lawfully and there has been no breach of the 1972 Local Government Act (Section 123).”

It is understood that Bury Council has agreed a price of around £500,000 to £600,000 for the library.

A spokesman for NHS Greater Manchester confirmed that the sale of the Whitefield Library site to NHS Property Services has been agreed in principle.

They said: “The sale was at an independently assessed open market value.

“Design and planning work for the new health centre is progressing, with the facility estimated to open by the end of 2026 subject to planning and design approvals.

“The final sale price will be published via HM Land Registry following completion, as is standard practice.”

A spokesman for Bury Council said the new location for health services in the town ‘is something we are sure will be welcomed by Whitefield residents’.

He added: “The decision to dispose of the former Whitefield Library was done entirely fairly and lawfully, and approved in February 2025 following proper procedure and full consideration of the issues.

“The site is being sold at market value, as supported by an independent valuation. “This was a direct transaction because of the opportunity of the site to improve health and care services in the town.

“We know that this site is an important focal point in the community.

“That is precisely why we have agreed to sell the former library to the NHS, which will enable them to redevelop the site and relocate services from the nearby

Uplands health centre, which has been in very poor condition for a long time.”

No decision has yet been taken about the future use of The Uplands site.

The council spokesman, added: “We have received several offers for the library site over the years and realise there may be some disappointment
among private investors that the site is no longer available. “The council is, however, seeking to act in the interests of the whole community.

“We believe that the opportunity to modernise public services at the heart of a much wider town plan will help to tackle health inequalities and create
opportunities for further investment, which will benefit many generations of Whitefield residents to come.”

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