Liverpool launches survey to restore dilapidated Everton Library 2026

Key Points

• The Liverpool City Council is undertaking a condition survey worth £250,000 of the Grade II-listed former Everton Library in Beacon Lane and St Domingo Road.
• The surveys will commence the following month and will cover structural conditions, water damage, windows, roofs, and environmental conditions such as long-term pigeon exposure and asbestos.
• The objective is to provide the first comprehensive condition assessment of the building in over two decades to enable full restoration efforts.
• Designed by Thomas Shelmerdine in 1896, the library has been abandoned for over two decades and was included by the Victorian Society in its list of the top 10 most at-risk buildings in the UK in 2019.
• According to Councillor Harry Doyle, the project will be the start of efforts to secure the landmark and restore it to a functional status to serve as an asset to the community and economy.
• It is expected that among the repairs that will be undertaken are guttering, drainpipes, windows, water damaged areas, and masonry and make it resistant to weather, with the results to be available in autumn 2026.

Everton (Liverpool standard) August 17, 2026 — A comprehensive assessment of the condition of the Grade II-listed former uk/local/everton/">Everton Library on the corner of Beacon Lane and St Domingo Road is to begin next month and will support plans to restore the building, according to reporting by Dan Whelan of Place North West. The £250,000 package of surveys will include assessments of the Everton building’s structural condition, the extent of water damage, and the impact of “long-term pigeon access”, and will lay the foundations for plans to make the building weatherproof, Whelan reported. The project will provide a “comprehensive understanding of the building’s condition and the investment required for its full restoration”, according to the city council, as cited by Place North West.

As reported by Birkenhead News, specialist contractors are being appointed to assess the condition of Everton Library to develop a programme of repairs to secure its long-term future, with surveys expected to begin next month on the site, which is owned by the local authority and led by the council’s heritage team. The new investigations will examine as much of the building as possible, including structural condition, water damage, windows, roofs, and other areas affected by decades of deterioration, Birkenhead News stated. In places that are currently unsafe to access, specialist assessment methods such as drone surveys will be used, the outlet added.

What will the £250,000 survey cover and when will results be available?

The work will also assess environmental issues within the building, including the impact of long-term pigeon access and any other pest-related concerns, according to Birkenhead News. Environmental cleaning requirements and asbestos checks will form part of the assessment programme with the results expected later in the autumn, the outlet reported. While the full extent of repairs will not be known until the surveys are complete, the council already expects future work to include repairs to gutters, drainpipes, windows, water-damaged areas and masonry, alongside measures to improve the building’s resistance to further weather damage, Birkenhead News stated.

Place North West’s Dan Whelan reported that the £250,000 package of surveys will include assessments of the Everton building’s structural condition, the extent of water damage, and the impact of “long-term pigeon access” and lay the foundations for plans to make the building weatherproof. The project will provide a “comprehensive understanding of the building’s condition and the investment required for its full restoration”, according to the city council, Whelan wrote.

Why is the former Everton Library considered a landmark at risk?

Everton Library was built in 1896 and was designed by Thomas Shelmerdine, Place North West reported. It has been vacant for more than 25 years and in 2019 was listed by the Victorian Society as being one of the top 10 most at-risk buildings in the country, Whelan noted. Birkenhead News described the site as having played an important part in the city’s history as one of its first public libraries, first opening its doors in 1896 and becoming a hub for the community. Since it closed over two decades ago, the library has fallen into a state of disrepair, the outlet added.

What has Liverpool City Council said about the restoration vision?

Liverpool City Council’s ambition is to transform the former library into a “vibrant heritage asset that serves the community while acting as a social, cultural and economic driver for the area”, it said, according to Place North West. Councillor Harry Doyle, cabinet member for health, wellbeing, and culture, said: “For many years people have rightly been concerned about the condition of this building, which used to be a library, and want to see progress. This project marks the beginning of that process,” as quoted by Place North West. Doyle added: “The former library is one of the area’s most recognisable landmarks and many residents have strong memories and connections to the building,” Whelan reported.

As reported by Birkenhead News, Cllr Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for health, wellbeing and culture, said: “For many years people have rightly been concerned about the condition of this building, which used to be a library, and want to see progress. This project marks the beginning of that process. Before we can undertake a full restoration, we need a detailed understanding of the condition of the building and the challenges we face.” Doyle continued: “These surveys will give us the information we need to plan repairs, develop restoration proposals and secure the substantial funding that will ultimately be required. Our long-term vision is to bring the building back into use as a vibrant heritage asset that serves local people and acts as a social, cultural and economic catalyst for the wider area,” Birkenhead News quoted.

Doyle further stated: “The former library is one of the area’s most recognisable landmarks and many residents have strong memories and connections to the building. People want to know that progress is being made and that there is a clear plan for its future. The work now being commissioned is an important milestone because it will help us understand exactly what needs to be done to safeguard the building and bring it back into use. I know residents will welcome the fact that the council is now taking practical steps to move the restoration project forward,” according to Birkenhead News.

How will the survey inform future investment and restoration strategy?

The project will provide the evidence needed to secure further investment and develop a long-term restoration strategy for one of Liverpool’s most significant historic buildings, Birkenhead News reported. The council’s ambition is to transform the former library into a vibrant heritage asset that serves the community while acting as a social, cultural and economic driver for the area, the outlet added. Place North West’s coverage similarly noted that the survey will support plans to restore the building and provide a comprehensive understanding of the investment required, as stated by the council.

Background: How did the Everton Library reach its current condition?

Everton Library has not been in use since 1999, and there have been two failed schemes to develop it, which have failed to even touch the building, according to the Victorian Society’s endangered buildings listing. In recent years, the library has suffered severe vandalism including lead theft, resulting in extensive water damage, the Victorian Society noted. Affectionately known as the “Jewel on the Hill”, the Grade II listed building has unfortunately been derelict since 2006 and after falling into a state of disrepair, was placed on the Victorian Society’s list of the top ten most endangered buildings in 2019, as recorded by Quadriga Contracts. Quadriga was previously employed to carry out urgent restoration work due to continuing deterioration caused by the theft of rainwater goods, vandalism of the building fabric and damage caused by trespassers, the firm’s case study stated.

Prediction: How could this development affect residents, heritage advocates and investors in Everton?

If the survey delivers a clear, costed scope of works later in autumn 2026, it could enable Liverpool City Council to pursue targeted funding and procurement routes, potentially accelerating weatherproofing and structural stabilisation that would reduce further decay and public safety risks around Beacon Lane and St Domingo Road. For residents, earlier intervention may mean reduced antisocial activity and improved streetscape, while heritage advocates may see a credible pathway to preserve a Shelmerdine-designed landmark that has been at risk for more than two decades. For investors and developers, a robust condition report could de-risk future bids for adaptive reuse, though the ultimate effect will depend on the scale of investment required and the council’s ability to secure additional capital beyond the initial £250,000 survey package.