Grosvenor gets nod for Chester car park leisure

Having enjoyed success over a trial period, the presence of the Rooftop Social Club on the top two floors of the Pepper Street car park can be made permanent.

A decision was made under delegated powers in late May, with a decision notice now issued by Cheshire West & Chester Council.

Planning permission was initially granted in September 2023 for a temporary change of use for the Pepper Street car park, going from a mixed-use site comprising a car park and retail space to one that also included a leisure hub.

This temporary consent was later amended and reaffirmed through a subsequent application, with the site having now been fully operational for 18 months.

Rooftop Social Club occupies levels eight and nine and includes F&B concessions, toilets and storage, all housed in repurposed shipping containers. The F&B offer is located furthest from nearby homes to minimise any potential disturbance.

IKO Projects, a well established local operator, runs the venue, along with operating Chester Market on behalf of CWAC. It also has three further Chester ventures, and a pair of venues in Ormskirk.

Originally, the leisure hub was given a three-year temporary consent, but due to its commercial success, Grosvenor put in for a consent to make things permanent earlier this year.

The proposal does not introduce any new-build elements or alteration to the existing layout, but simply formalises the change of use in planning terms.

The CWAC officer report sets out how consents granted over the last decade have tried to establish Pepper Street as “an informal leisure quarter of the city”, staring from an initial application covering four F&B venues on the south side of what had been a secondary shopping street.

Since then, the report continued, further restaurant/bar consents have been granted on the north side of Pepper Street, and although some units remain vacant brands including Piccolino are present.

In addition, Travelodge and Leonardo now operate Pepper Street hotels,  reusing former office accommodation, all of which combines to make the car park’s partial conversion a fitting use.

The CWAC application reference for the project is 26/00593/FUL.