A CRUNCH vote by Worcestershire County Council planning chiefs, which could decide the fate of Kidderminster Library’s top-floor gallery, is days away.

The change of use application, which would see the art facility relocated to the library’s first floor, making way for offices for county council staff, is on the agenda at next Tuesday’s planning and regulatory committee meeting at County Hall, Worcester.

Council head of economic development and planning, Ahmed Goga, has recommended the scheme goes ahead, infuriating campaigners, who say the plans would “destroy” the gallery and hurt the arts community in Kidderminster.

A report which will go before councillors at the meeting, states: “[Mr Goga] recognises there are significant objections to the proposals.

“It is considered, however, this change of use application would facilitate the reconfiguration, rationalistion and modernisation of underutilised space within the library building.”

The report says the recommendation was made in accordance with provisions set out in the council’s development plan and that issues such as relocating the gallery’s Steinway piano to Kidderminster Town Hall were “not a planning consideration”.

Stephen Brown, Kidderminster Gallery Friends secretary, who will be speaking atnext week’s meeting, urged members to register their objections to the planning application, which he described as “deeply flawed and political”.

An approval of the application would go against a decision by Wyre Forest District Council’s planning committee, a consultee in the process, to object “in the strongest possible terms” to the proposals.

The applicant – the county council – would have the right to appeal against any decision it disagreed with.

Plans were drawn up in an effort by the county council’s libraries and learning service to save £1.8 million from its budget over three years.