WHILE welcoming long awaited proposals for a new library in the town, the Alton Society has challenged county architects to "do better".

In a letter to planners at East Hampshire District Council, Alton Society chairman Geoff Nicholas says that members' first reaction was one of relief at viewing what he describes as "a straightforwardly modern design".

"The simple shape of the metal-clad building would be a welcome change from the various attempts to be half-modern, half pastiche that is often the case.

"The building, in our view, would be distinctive without being outlandish in its setting and, in this sense, would be in the fine tradition of modernism for which the county architect's department has become so well known," writes Mr Nicholas.

But the society has a number of reservations.

Firstly, the tightly drawn shape and the metal cladding, virtually without windows, would, it was felt, give the building "an exclusive , inward-looking feeling," which the society feels could be at odds with its function.

"The design surely should convey the building's purpose as a resource open to all," suggests Mr Nicholas.

The brick front boundary wall and entrance onto Vicarage Hill was also considered to be contrary to the inclusive nature of the building's purpose.

In addition, it was felt that too much of the site was to be given over to housing. "Doubtless it is for this reason that the library has been designed on three floors and the entrance positioned awkwardly," says Mr Nicholas who is candid in his criticism: "This is surely not an ideal plan-form for a library."

The Alton Society, he says, would like to see more generous areas for public use.

Despite supporting the aims of PPG3, the complete lack of car parking, other than for disabled users, has raised concern together with lack of provision for the mobile library which members believe should remain as part of the library complex and not be forced out by overdevelopment on the housing side.

Geoff Nicholas would like to see a model of the proposed design displayed in the existing library for all to see. "After all," he told The Herald, "this is likely to be the last public building to be built in Alton and we need to get it right."

The Alton Society, he added, welcomes the long awaited improvement to facilities that this scheme seeks to address. "We just feel that it could be better."