Green light for Chester hotel
A 162-bedroom city centre hotel designed by heritage specialist Donald Insall Associates has been signed off by the local authority.
Cheshire West & Chester Council issued a decision notice this week to Frodsham Holdings and its planning adviser Lichfields, giving permission for the demolition of existing buildings, followed by mixed-use development at 1 Frodsham Street in the city centre.
At present, the site is occupied by retailers Greggs, Poundland, Card Factory and Halifax. It abuts the listed 15 Foregate St.
The hotel entrance would be at the corner of Frodsham St and Kaleyards and will also include a gym, flexible meeting rooms and workspaces. Documents filed earlier this year named the proposed operator as Radisson RED.
Plans have been tweaked since they were put forward in February by Frodsham Holdings partners Cervidae and AXIS-RE. As outlined in a report by planning officer Edward Shepherd, “the design of the building has been amended at various times throughout the application process.
“The alterations have reduced the massing and altered the facias to include a range of eaves heights, roof ridge styles and facing materials with the intention of breaking up the overall bulk and appearance of the building and improving its relationship with the context of its surroundings and the city centre as a whole.”
Amendments include the setting back of the rooftop restaurant, and the removal of battlements to simplify the elevations as viewed from the City Walls and Cathedral.
Upon submission, the plans attracted attention from groups including the Chester Civic Trust and Chester Archaeological Society, which questioned the height of the proposed scheme and the viability of hotel development at present in the city.
Historic England said that it had concerns on heritage grounds, but also said that the new scheme would do “less than substantial harm” in replacing “unexceptional” 1990s buildings.
Former CWAC leader Cllr Sam Dixon, who will contest the upcoming Chester by-election for Labour, had raised an objection as a ward councillor, but withdrew it following the amendments to the project.
Donald Insall Associates is noted as a heritage specialist and has an office in Chester. The professional team includes transport adviser Vectos, Tyrer Ecological Consultants, flood risk adviser Fairhurst and Element Sustainability.
The CWAC planning reference for the project is 22/00616/FUL.
“replacing unexceptional 1990s buildings…” with an unexceptional 1990s building. Pastiche is a weight around Chester’s neck that the city desperately needs to move on from. High quality, well-considered, contemporary proposals sitting alongside heritage structures cause less harm than the ‘sitting-on-the-fence’ retrospective proposals the authorities regularly support. We need bold, impassioned, imaginative proposals for a stunning Chester-of -the-future! How amazing it could be.
By Chester Lover
Ref, previous comment – I think your requirements have been delivered with Northgate and a number of other current projects in Chester. In a city of Chester’s challenges it is always difficult to get the balance of history and progress right, but pastiche never – lets leave that to the Cotswolds.
By Jane Harrad-Roberts
Yet another hotel, who stays in all of them
By Anonymous
Not sure what’s happening on this one, still no activity on site, all shops mentioned above are still trading !!!
By Billy
So, where is the Halifax Bank going to be?!
By Carol