RAINHILL is set to benefit from improved healthcare facilities.
This comes as Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has purchased the former Rainhill Library site.
The library was among a number in St Helens to close as part of a cost-cutting programme by the council.
It had been suggested that community groups could come in and manage the closed libraries - however, this would appear to rule out such a venture at the site.
The acquisition will allow the NHS trust - which runs Whiston and St Helens hospitals - to expand its current estate at the adjoining Rainhill Clinic on View Road, in the centre of Rainhill Village.
Partnership working
In a statement, Councillor Richard McCauley, cabinet member for inclusive growth and regeneration, said: "This is a great example of partnership working.
"Opportunities for the physical expansion of facilities in tightly developed areas such as Rainhill are highly constrained, and so I’m confident that this initiative will provide positive benefits for the community here in response to growing demand for healthcare."
He added that the decision aligns with the council's Corporate Asset Strategy and Asset Management Plan, which aims to ensure effective management of the council's land and buildings.
The trust will engage with the local community on their vision for the extended Rainhill Clinic site following the completion of the purchase.
The move is part of a broader review of council buildings that are no longer required to deliver council services.
As part of this review, the sites of former library buildings in Billinge and Rainford will be offered for sale to the open market.
The capital receipts from these sales will fund investment into essential priority council services.
Community libraries
Councillor Kate Groucutt, cabinet member for business, leisure, and culture, acknowledged that the sale of these sites might be disappointing to some community groups, particularly those keen to open community-managed libraries in their area.
She said: "We are committed to supporting any groups interested in making their own community-managed library, and we would encourage them to look at potential alternative options that could be supported by our new Community Library Grant fund that will be launched this month.
"Our library outreach team will continue to work with groups interested in community-managed libraries through their journey and other possible funding opportunities from a variety of sources."
