A proposal to build the new Library of Birmingham on two sites was given the formal seal of approval by the city council's Conservative-Liberal Democrat leadership yesterday.

Cabinet members agreed to press ahead with the £147 million project, despite a warning that the scheme will be axed if Labour regains control of the council in May.

Sir Albert Bore, leader of the Labour opposition, said his group remained committed to the £179 million Lord Rogers plan, which would have seen a far larger library built on a single site at Eastside.

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Sir Albert (Lab Ladywood) said a council report by consultants Invigour failed prop-erly to address the increased staffing and infrastructure costs of two library buildings and he did not believe in any case that the council would be able to secure Government funding for the project.

Council leader Mike Whitby said he hoped yesterday's decision would draw a line under the library debate.

The decision to press ahead with a lending and reference library in Centenary Square and an archive and family history centre at Millennium Point would give Birmingham two eye-catching buildings of which the city could be proud, he believed.

Coun Whitby (Con Harborne) said initial architects' drawings depicting the Centenary Square library, published in The Birmingham Post, had prompted admiration at the MIPIM international property show in Cannes last week.

He believed the design by Ken Shuttleworth had the edge, adding: "I don't know who suggested he can't design iconic buildings because he has a tremendous track record."

A more cautious note was sounded by Mick Wilkes, chairman of the main scrutiny committee, who said he would award the Invigour report five out of ten for answering questions about the split site scheme.

Coun Wilkes (Lib Dem Hall Green) added: "There is still a long way to go before the jigsaw is complete. But the council cannot go on indefinitely asking questions and keeping its options open.

"People have been calling for a decision to be made for some time. The rub is that the decision being made won't be to everyone's preferences, and that includes my preferences."