PLANS of the new library extension at Bromyard's Leisure Centre have been revealed for the first time.

A windowed facade will be the centrepiece of the £805,000 scheme, which has taken around two years to design and has a building start date of Monday, June 23.

As well as the new library, the front extension will house the town's Tourist Information Centre, a "one stop shop" for help from Herefordshire Council and details of further education opportunities with Learn Direct.

Extensions on the back of the centre will be used by Bromyard youth groups and as a store room.

Bromyard mayor Pearl Briggs said: "This is a very important and major development for the town. To have everything under one roof will be a great benefit to the people of Bromyard. This kind of scheme works very successfully in other market towns.

"We're particularly delighted about improved library services.

"There'll be a real demand for the Learn Direct service because it's exactly what Bromyard needs. People won't have to travel to Leominster or Hereford."

But she expressed concern about the lack of space afforded to youth groups.

Mark Warren, Herefordshire Council's customer service libraries and information officer, stressed the positives of the project.

"Plans to create these new facilities have been in the pipeline for some time - we've listened to what people want and have tailored the plans to take into account their views," he said.

Herefordshire Council said it did not yet know what would happen to the present library site on Church Street.