Grainger proposes £60m Chester resi

Landowner Chester Race Company is working with UK Land & Property and the listed residential platform on proposals for a 300-apartment build-to-rent scheme on the site of the former Linenhall stables in the city centre.

Grainger, one of the country’s premier BTR developers and operators, is preparing to submit a planning application to Cheshire West and Chester Council in November.

Cleared since 2009, the site is currently used as a 330-space car park but was once occupied by stable blocks for the nearby Chester Racecourse.

Located between the racecourse and the city centre, the St Martin’s Way site is seen as ideal for redevelopment into homes and various plans to do so have been floated since the early 2000s but are yet to materialise.

Proposals for 144 apartments, initially advanced by Taylor Woodrow, were approved in 2002 with the consent being refreshed for Chester Race Company in 2012.

Following that, a six-storey student scheme featuring 59 cluster flats and 143 studio apartments was put forward by Sussex-based Stephenson Group, in partnership with the racecourse. Approved in 2013, this was also never implemented.

Now, Chester Race Company is working with listed residential specialist Grainger and developer UK Land & Property to work up plans for the site’s long-awaited redevelopment.

The six-storey scheme would replace the existing planning consent for student accommodation and would be targeted at young professionals, couples, and those looking to downsize, according to Chester Race Company.

Subject to planning approval, development could begin in 2027.

A two-day public consultation is to be held on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 September between 3pm and 7pm in the Leverhulme Stand at Chester Racecourse.

Louise Stewart, CRC’s chief executive, said: “We believe this is a strong and appropriate long-term use for the Linenhall site. Working with UK Land & Property and Grainger, our aim is to deliver a high-quality residential scheme that supports the continued growth and vitality of Chester city centre.”

The project team includes architect Falconer Chester Hall, as well as Tier Consult, Ridge, Curtins, Fenix Heritage, Asteer Planning, and Clayton Property.