Historic building left empty for years could be sold in third attempt

The building has failed two sales, however a new bid could give it a new lease of life

A Grade II listed library in Cambridge, which has been left empty for several years, could be sold at the third attempt. The former Mill Road Library building has had two failed sales, however it could be set to get a new lease of life after receiving a bid to convert it into a community-led arts centre.

Cambridgeshire County Council papers said it had received a bid from the Mill Road Community Interest Company (CIC) by its January 2026 deadline.

If the sale goes through, the plans would see an auditorium with retractable seating, a mixed-use gallery and café space, creative work areas and facilities to support exhibitions, workshops, performances, film screenings, co-working and community outreach. The Grade II listed building has been owned by Cambridgeshire County Council since the 1970s.

The former library was registered as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) and was under a six-month moratorium period which ran until February 2026. This meant that it could only be sold to eligible community groups during this time.

The property can now be sold on the open market for a 12-month window before another moratorium can be triggered.

The first potential buyer, children’s charity Centre 33, was chosen in 2023. The charity later pulled out of the process due to the amount of work they said the building needed to make it fit for purpose.

In October 2024, the county council agreed to sell the building to a new bidder. However, the buyer later withdrew the offer due to a land ownership dispute, according to the former bidder.

Papers from council’s assets and procurement committee said that the centre would “operate daily as an inclusive hub for arts, culture, volunteering and social programmes, with partnerships already established with local organisations”.

The latest proposal represents a “significant improvement” on the group’s previous submissions, according to the council papers.

It said that the funding for the purchase has been confirmed and will come from “two private sources” and “any need for future converting of the building will be funded through a combination of grants and pledges, some of which have already been secured”.

The papers added: “The bidders have requested that the Council enter an option to buy until 15 February 2027 to allow time to complete the purchase. Should the option not be implemented within this period, the property will be remarketed.”

Following the library closure in 1996, the building was leased to an Indian Community and Cultural Association until 2019. It was then let on a temporary basis to Hill Group for office and welfare use until February 2023.