A FUTURISTIC metal and glass building could be on the cards for Haslemere's new library.

But the earliest the new long-awaited state-of-the-art building could open its doors is in 2005, and only then if the money can be found to pay for it.

And that could mean either hoping for a relaxation in the government rules on borrowing for capital projects, or selling off other Surrey County Council assets.

A "flagship building making the best use of the site, and streets ahead of anything we have ever had before," is how Surrey county councillor for Haslemere, Christine Stevens, summed up the proposals for the new library.

Although plans are still under wraps, the library, which would be combined with a youth centre, plus an enrolment centre and administrative base for adult and community learning in Haslemere, is expected to be sited fronting Wey Hill in the Waverley-owned Fairground car park.

Mrs Stevens assured the people of Haslemere that it would be up to them to say "yes we like it, or no, we don't want it", when the plans went out to consultation.

The scheme could revitalise the top of Wey Hill where there are outdated public toilets and an unsurfaced car park. The plan has already been aired at an informal meeting of the county council decision-making executive council. It is due to be discussed at a formal meeting of the executive on September 16.

"They like the idea in principle," Mrs Stevens told The Herald this week. She is hoping Haslemere people will see the plans as soon as possible.

"We are delighted we haven't had the thumbs down and we are progressing. It was clear that a new building was not going to be a fast solution but it is important that we get it right," Mrs Stevens continued.

With funding for any new building still the main stumbling block, Mrs Stevens is hoping that proposed new government legislation will allow more flexibility in spending on capital projects and relax present rules on borrowing.

But she would not be drawn on whether the present youth centre facilities at the Old Fire Station in West Street would be under threat to help fund the new library.

Chris Norris, head of libraries for SCC, said the new plans were in line with current thinking on building libraries.

"We are using more metal, wood, and glass, and consulting on an attractive modern building," is all Mr Norris would say about the proposed new library plan.

"We have three priorities for new libraries and Haslemere is one of them. We do seriously want to do this but if the option is rationalising other property, we have no idea where we would be looking," said Mr Norris

The ambitious plans for the new library comes after years of protracted discussions on how best to provide a better library for Haslemere.

Housed in a rented shop in Wey Hill since the late 1940s, the library is described in the annual report on the library service to be delivered at Waverley to SCC Waverley Local Committee meeting next week as "old fashioned and limiting".

But to date, only £600,000 has been found to fund a new building. This comes from monies gained following the sale of a former adult education centre at Eccleslea House and two houses in St Christopher's Road in 1999. That money has since been guaranteed for the scheme.

With Haslewey, the town's new community centre in Lion Green, always considered the key to the relocation of the library in the now redundant 1960s built Wey Centre, feathers flew when a £1 million scheme was unveiled at the end of 2002, to relocate the library and provide a youth centre in the refurbished building.

The idea was described as "an appalling compromise" by protesters who were furious that all the town could expect after its long wait was refurbishing an outdated flat-roofed building, well below the expected standards.

The meeting in Haslemere Museum on Friday, September 12, will hear that the executive "asked officers to abandon the scheme and work up a better proposal, either with a development partner or through use of extra capital to produce a new- build scheme".

Since then, talks have taken place with Waverley Borough Council over ways of improving the area and re-siting the library in a more prominent place at the front of the car park.

The SCC Local Committee in Waverley's meeting takes place at 2 pm with a public open question session preceding the meeting at 1-15 pm.