Consultation starts on Habiko’s 350 Chester flats
Rethinking Muse and the council’s £120m City Place ambitions for the railway station-adjacent site, the affordable housing partnership will look to build a series of contemporary apartment blocks.
City Place had been an ambitious proposal for offices that received planning permission in April 2014. However, that permission has since expired and only One City Place was delivered. That 70,000 sq ft office was put on the market in May by owner Federated Hermes with a guide price of £12.9m.
Leaving the world of offices behind, Habiko’s inaugural development will sit on Charterhall Drive in Chester, provided it can secure planning permission. Habiko, which was formed last year, is a partnership between Muse, Homes England, and the Pension Insurance Corporation.
The development consortium has launched a consultation on its plans, which include up to 350 one- and two-bedroom flats designed by Shedkm. All of these would be for affordable rent, meaning they will be made available for at least 20% below local market rent.
Habiko said this would help the council’s with its need for affordable housing – with Cheshire West and Chester Council calculating that it needs 714 affordable homes a year to be delivered to meet demand. At present, it averages 373.
Shedkm is the architect for Habiko’s Charterhall proposals. Credit: Shedkm
While parking will play an element in the Charterhall development, Habiko said it would be minimal. There would be an equal number of cycle parking provision to the number of flats built.
A substantial green space is proposed for the heart of the complex. Habiko also said it would look to add a pedestrian and cycle route towards Shot Tower footbridge as part of the proposals.
Ella Woodward, development manager at Habiko, said: “We’re proud to be launching the very first community conversation for Habiko, marking an important step in bringing people into the heart of our plans.”
“Our proposals for Charterhall Drive will deliver high-quality, affordable homes in a sustainable, central location. By introducing a broader mix of housing options, we’re working to meet the diverse needs of local residents and support a more inclusive city centre.”
An outline planning application is due to be submitted this winter by Habiko’s planning consultant Turley.
The consultation for Charterhall runs until 20 November. You can access it by going to charterhall.habiko.uk.
Absolutely no quibble that this is a perfect location for car-lite mid rise residential, a rail station, canal corridor into town, lots of amenities close by, and will help revitalise the station area, BUT…. Is this the signal CWAC have given up on commercial real estate in central Chester are we just accepting that Manchester and Liverpool are the only game in town, and we’ll settle for being a comfortable commuter satellite (with a relatively crap rail service to Manchester).
By Rich X
Its about time this area was sorted out. On the parking front, why not have underground parking for residents, plus some could be used for public parking for station users. The massing looks good, but would be much better for residents to have enclosed balconies so they benefit from some outside private space.
The location needs to take full advantage of the canal setting and make it as permeable as possible with tree lined streets.
Ideally Charterhall House needs to go to make this whole site a cohesive success.
Considering how expensive house prices are and the scarcity of rental accommodation is in Chester, its crazy that the city still has numerous undeveloped sites which should be housing.
By GetItBuilt!
I know we live in a country where it rains a lot and have 2-3 weeks of sunshine but I’d hate to be cooped up in an apartment without outdoor space i.e a decent balcony. We should take note of our European neighbours where apartment living is more common. As for Chester and commercial real estate, I think thats long gone.
By Rodney Street
This is actually quite a small space to build up so much – the existing flats/ towers there are jammed up against each other and ‘green space’ in those development has degenerated into some astroturf and a few stunted trees, the area looks like a prison yard. With the bigger former HBOS building being retained and turned into one bed barracks for students / etc., this will be a horrid area in a few years’ time – it used to be a good productive area of offices and productive work, now it’s cheap flats, damp, and at the moment polyester England flags. Fun fun fun !
Really the council should have taken over the existing HBOS buildings – not yet 50 years old – and let them out as business incubator-type spaces, allow people to build businesses and productivity in a space free of commercial landlord pocket-dipping.
But no, more cheap East German blocks to sit next to the railway and depress visitors and residents.
By John Smith
Much-needed affordable housing in Chester at last. This is great news. Hopefully means will be put in place to prevent speculators from acquiring the flats and subletting them at higher prices.
The feared-for pedestrian and cycle route towards Shot Tower footbridge as being retained as part of the proposals to good too. Also the planned green space- make better use of rhe canal side than neighbouring developments- and lots of trees please!
The flats will be designed, I note, by ShedKM, whose plans back in 2007 for a glass and steel monstrosity on Chester’s Groves (where Hickory’s is now) attracted much derision.. Please don’t let them be ugly!
By Steve Howe
The site no one wanted and no one could viably deliver is now a gem! How exciting that the bottomless pit of public money can support these schemes!
By Anonymous