Westhill Library is to be replaced under the council's capital plan for 2009-10.

Councillor for Westhill and District Ron McKail said he was delighted.

"The current building is tucked into a site behind the Academy and is well past its sell by date. The inclusion of a replacement location for the library in the Aberdeenshire Council Capital plan to meet the needs of our town is excellent news and will also be well received by the library staff."

He added: "This condemned building is expensive to maintain and a replacement in a more central location is needed for Westhill with its 11,000 population. Many of us have been campaigning for several years to get an improved library facility and a service fit for the 21st century . This is good news for the fastest growing towns in the north east."

Chairman of the Westhill and Elrick Community Council also welcomed the news : "This is tremendous news - we have been pressing for a new library for years. The current building is the worst in Aberdeenshire and at last the Council are to take action."

"Our library staff have done an excellent job but they deserve to work in conditions that their colleagues take for granted. It is a mark of the state of the circumstances that they have had to endure that the current building will be condemned when they leave. Now they will have accomodation that they can be proud of. We look forward to scrutinising the detail proposals but I am absolutely delighted that we are to get a new library."

The location of the present facilty has been criticised for being in the wrong place - tucked into a corner site - which residents avoided on dark evenings for personal safety reasons.

What was initially a 'temporary' building has lasted some 25 years and is made up with portable units joined together with brick facing. The roof leaks, ventilation is poor and the facility has only glazing on the windows.

Mr Whyte described is as the ugliest building in Westhill and probably the worst library in Aberdeenshire.