Bosses have chosen the former police station in New Century Road, Laindon, as the site for a £1 million new library.

The town's books are currently housed in a building at Laindon Shopping Centre, but the library is closing as a result of increasing rent costs.

The new building will be even bigger with more books, a larger children's library, a new quiet area for working and hugely improved facilities for staff.

The project is due to be completed late next year with an opening date scheduled for early 2001.

Margaret Westrip, senior administrative officer at Essex libraries, said: "It's an opportunity to increase the size of the library and keep it within five minutes walking distance of the old site.

"It will provide much better facilities for the people of Laindon as well as allowing a better provision for staff.

"It will also be ideal because it will be built next door to the community centre, allowing people to make the best use of both facilities and keep things in one place."

She explained that details of the library development are being finalised with planners, but that there will be a public meeting to gauge resident's opinions on the new project.

People will be asked to give their opinions on the new plans, and to contribute as much as possible to the new library design, including what type of additional facilities they would like to see provided.

The meeting will take place at the existing library in the shopping centre.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.