THE historic Hove library building could put £1 million back into council coffers if sold.

Brighton and Hove City Council has revealed the grade II listed building could raise the seven-figure sum at auction.

The sale would also save the local authority £2.5 million in operating and maintenance costs over five years.

The council has revealed more details of its library plans following our exclusive story in Friday’s paper and after hundreds of campaigners signed a petition opposing the closure of the grade II listed building.

Green group convenor Phelim MacCafferty, who launched the petition which has gathered more than 700 signatures over its first weekend, said moving the service to Hove Museum would "jeopardise" the work done in making the library "a modern, welcoming" community facility.

The petition has been signed by scores of parents who have said the library, which opened in 1908, is loved by their children and an invaluable public resource.

A newly launched Facebook group has also attracted more than 450 supporters while campaigners have been spreading the word outside the historic building in Church Road over the weekend.

The council has said any proposals to move the library up the road into the museum to create Hove Culture Centre would be subject to "extensive public consultation" between mid-November and next February.

Council leader Warren Morgan said relocating Hove library offers "the biggest single potential saving" for the department which needs to save £1.34 million in four years.

He said the historic building currently made "a modern service more difficult”.

Coun MacCafferty said the library was "popular" and provided "great value" to the taxpayer at only 32p per week per person.

He said the museum had a much reduced footfall by comparison due to its less central location and limited space. He also pointed to it not being designed to host a library and said using the ground floor would reduce fully accessible space for museum displays.

He added: “The proposal to move the library from a purpose built building to Hove Museum could jeopardise the progress made in transforming Hove library into a modern, welcoming place that serves the community so well.

"There is an opportunity here to work with the city to save it, that has to be the first step for any administration”.

Councillor Alan Robins, lead member for libraries and culture, said: “It’s not something that we are taking great delight in doing but we are having to look at how we can be smarter with our use of buildings.

“With our programmes such as libraries extra we’re looking to improve the level of library service across the city, not reduce it.”

To sign the petition visit you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-hove-library.