But Monday came and went and no work started on Knutsford's millennium library.

Instead, developer Matt McCloskey promised that a contract had been signed and builders would start work within a week.

"The contract was dated on Friday afternoon and the site is available to them from now," he said.

"We will do the official bit on May 1 which will be good for the library service and Bert Grange, in particular, because both have had a lot of hassle about why it hasn't started."

In a statement faxed to the Knutsford Guardian on April 2, Cheshire County Council had promised that work would start on St George's Day.

But on Monday a spokesman could not explain why it had not.

"You will have to ask the developer," she said.

Builders Seddons Ltd are expected to put up hoardings today (Wednesday) and move on to the site next to the Toft Road council offices on Tuesday.

When finished the library will house 20 computers and a children's library. The development will also include 15 apartments.

Former town mayor Bert Grange will cut the first sod behind the Sessions House on Tuesday with a group of local schoolchildren.

"People have come up to me in the street and said you are in cloud cuckoo land if you think that you will get a library built there," he said.

"I am so pleased that we are going to prove them wrong."

Knutsford's library has been dogged by a series of setbacks since the £1million plans were first unveiled more than two years ago.

On Friday, a resident called the Knutsford Guardian, claiming it faced further delays because of a row over planning regulations for a disabled toilet.

But on Monday a spokesman for Macclesfield Borough Council said its officers were unaware of the problems.