Contentious plans to relocate a library are set to be accepted by councillors despite a public campaign.

Bexley Council was met with a petition signed by 300 people against plans to relocate Sidcup Library to a joint site with a cinema at the former Blockbuster unit in the High Street.

Councillors heard a deputation at a meeting in April in which the Sidcup Library Action Group said users were “mystified” by the council’s proposals.

Group spokesman Noel Lake said at the time: “It’s a purpose-built library. It’s provided a useful community facility that is more important now that the pop-in-parlour across the road has been closed.

“The site it might be moved to is on a very busy corner, not suitable for access for parents with children or groups of school children. This is a noisy environment, and a more polluted environment.”

The scheme is part of a wider regeneration plan for Sidcup which will have an Arthouse cinema and potentially new homes built.

Other libraries across the borough have been relocated and several have since had an increased footfall.

Despite the debate, Bexley Council’s cabinet is set to recommend the library be relocated to the shared site, but ensure that the community is “fully engaged on the internal library design” in addition to the regular planning regulation consultations.

Councillor Peter Craske, cabinet member for places, said: “This will be great news for Sidcup, and great news for Sidcup’s fantastic library.

“To be able to provide residents with a much improved library in a new, modern purpose-built site is really exciting and testament to the long-term future of Sidcup.

“In Bexley our library service is booming and I would urge the library users of now and the library users of the future to get involved and help shape a library fit for the next forty years.”

There has been a library in Sidcup since 1930, and the current facility is the third busiest in the borough – behind Erith and Crayford.

According to the deputation response: “Town centres throughout the UK are under increasing pressure to reinvent themselves,to remain economically viable.

“This proposed cultural hub for Sidcup will provide a new focus for the high street, not only for current residents but also as a draw for visitors to Sidcup town centre whilst also building on the rich heritage of the town’s two performing arts colleges.

“Co-location of the cinema with a library creates a range of exciting opportunities and addresses asset challenges.”