Martin Mullaney, Councillor for Moseley & Kings Heath, Birmingham

An Alternative to the proposed Central Library plans

The advantage of this scheme:
1) The library site is twice the size of the present proposed site AND can go up very high at the Suffolk Street elevation. It will be twice the size of the proposed Centenary Square library, with room for expansion upwards

2) the present Central is converted into a Tate Modern Birmingham with the central altrium space for large crazy exhibits, as per London's Tate Modern. The central altrium ceases to be a major throughfare. The entrance to the new Tate Modern Birmingham would be underneath the atrium of the old Central Library with an escalator raising patrons into the centre of the atrium area. A system of escalators inside the atrium area would raise members of the public to the different floor levels of the Tate Modern

3) a natural street is created between the present Library and the new one, linking Broad Street with a more direct route to Victoria Square.

4) The eastern arm of Paradise Circus is pedestrianised and raised to it's original level. The lending section of the present Central Library is demolished for this. This would create a huge Chamberlain Square extending the length of the Council House extension.