With the walls now successfully separated Shepherd Construction is busy taking down approximately 46,000m³ of the existing structure to pave the way for the new section of the library to be constructed. This will become the new Central Library with café atrium and roof terrace design features and a purpose-built climate controlled repository to provide storage for the Liverpool Record Office where 14km of archives and some of the city’s most historic treasures from the last 800 years will eventually be housed.

The intricate restoration work of the historic library buildings is also continuing apace with the external scaffolding and temporary roof structure now erected to the Picton Library and removal of the existing zinc covering to the dome roof now underway.

Peter Millett, Shepherd Construction’s West Division managing director commented: “The deconstruction stage has been an extremely complex part of the programme as we have had to protect the façade and neighbouring buildings, particularly considering the priceless artefacts and paintings on the walls of the museum and gallery just feet away from where we have been working on the separation of the library’s structure. To help us we’ve enlisted the latest equipment that has been stationed in the neighbouring buildings to monitor vibration levels.

“With the separation now complete we are expecting to have the rest of the area cleared by June 2011. Construction of the new library will be carried out in conjunction with the historic restoration work, with the project due to complete in November 2012.”

Work on the library which lies within Liverpool’s UNESCO World Heritage site, will see the full restoration of the Grade II listed parts of the building, which date back to 1860, and the famous Hornby Library and Oak Reading Rooms being fully open to the public for the first time.

The sections behind the façade, which were built in the 1950s and 1970s following World War II bomb damage and now suffer from damp and a leaking roof, will be rebuilt to make the most of the available space.

As well as housing the Liverpool Record Office, children’s library and showcasing books the revamped Central Library will also include state-of-the-art IT facilities which will allow young people to download music and games onto MP3 and MP4 players, with wi-fi and access to computers.

Liverpool City Council’s Head of Libraries, Joyce Little, said: “The restoration of Liverpool’s Central Library has taken more than ten years in the planning, and it’s exciting to see the project move to the next stage.

“Liverpool Central Library is one of the UK’s most celebrated public libraries and its regeneration will not only restore the building’s beautiful historic elements, but will also create a 21st century facility for all library users.”

It is scheduled to reopen in Spring 2013.  The work is being carried out by the Inspire Partnership, which is a joint venture between Amber Infrastructure and Shepherd Construction with architects at Austin-Smith:Lord and Cofely as providers of Facilities Management services.