Councillors are challenging a decision which would see a 120-year-old library building put up for sale, if charities and community groups fail to come up with a plan to take it over. 

The Conservative-controlled cabinet at Norfolk County Council recently agreed to declare the Gothic-style Carnegie Building in King's Lynn as "surplus to requirements".

But opposition councillors have called for that decision to be looked at in more detail by the authority's cross-party scrutiny. They question whether County Hall had the power to make such a call.

Alexandra Kemp, independent county councillor for South Lynn and Clenchwarton, made the 'call-in' request. She was backed by six other councillors, five Liberal Democrats and independent Jim Moriarty.

County councillor Alexandra KempCounty councillor Alexandra Kemp (Image: Newsquest)

The Carnegie Building is currently home to the town's central library, but faces an uncertain future because of the council's proposals to create a new £14.2m 'community hub' in the heart of the town.

That hub, located in a former Argos store in the town's Vancouver Quarter shopping centre, would include a community centre and a new library to replace the current one.

An artist's impression of how the new community hub would lookAn artist's impression of how the new community hub would look (Image: Hudson Architects)

The council cabinet is offering the property to charity and community groups in the first instance.

They have been invited to come up with proposals to lease it or have the freehold transferred to their ownership.

But if an agreement cannot be reached it would be sold on the open market, a decision which has prompted anger.

Ms Kemp said the building was "beloved" by people in the town.

She said: "This is disgraceful. The Carnegie was given to the people of Lynn and Norfolk County Council has no right to sell it off."

After officers and councillors are quizzed about the decision, the committee can choose to take one of a number of options.

It could ask for the cabinet member to reconsider the decision, to refer the matter to full council or to note the call-in but take no further action.

The decision will be discussed at the council's scrutiny committee meeting next Wednesday (September 18).

What is the Carnegie Building?

The Grade II-listed building was built in 1904 and gets its name from Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who opened it in May 1905.

It is one of 660 libraries built across the UK and Ireland with the help of Mr Carnegie.

In 1914, and throughout the First World War, the tower was used as an observation point for soldiers tasked to look out for possible invasion and Zeppelin threats.

It was granted listed status in 1982 and is described by Historic England as "Gothic style with Arts and Crafts influence".