Wakefield Library building set for £700k investment to make it 'smart'

The Wakefield One office block, on Burton Street, accommodates the city's library and around 900 council staff.

The venue was opened in 2012, but will now undergo a £700,000 investment, which will slash the council's energy bills and make it more environmentally friendly.

The plan, which was first revealed last October, will see lights and heating automatically switch on and off in response to people coming and going from rooms.

An extra 100 desks will also moved into Wakefield One and new meeting rooms will be created.

Speaking about the plans at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, senior councillor Michael Graham said: "Although the building is up to 100 per cent occupancy at the moment, there's more potential to use the space in a better way.

"This will improve customer service and it's about investing in the future.

"We do need to quickly get on with it."

Last year, the local authority said putting more desks into Wakefield One would not make it more cramped, as some staff will be encouraged to work out of the office more.

Council leader Denise Jeffery described the proposals as "exciting".

And fellow Cabinet member Maureen Cummings said: "Wakefield One is a fantastic building and it's here for a long time.

"We need to make sure everything we're doing here helps with our carbon footprint.

"When you do go into one of those rooms in Wakefield One, it's often absolutely boiling.

"Not only will it help with our carbon footprint, it will also help with the heating bills."

Local Democracy Reporting Service