Moxy hotel goes before Chester planners

How Planning has submitted an application for a 194-bedroom Moxy hotel at the former Boughton retail centre in central Chester, a project that will complete development at the site.

Boughton saw Waitrose open a store in 2014, with the supermarket securing a consent for a 120-bedroom hotel that was never acted on. Public realm improvements have been delivered, along with a pedestrian bridge over the Shropshire Union Canal.

The development, which will include a commercial gym, is being proposed by developer Vastint Hospitality BV and will be managed by Belvar.

Moxy is the brand introduced by hotel giant Marriott in partnership with Belvar intended to target the younger city traveller seeking a sociable travelling experience. The first Moxy hotel proposed in the region was granted consent by Manchester City Council in summer 2017 and will be delivered by Henry Boot at Atkinson Street, on the edge of Spinningfields.

Rhian Smith, senior planner at How, said: “There are still only a few Moxy hotels in the UK, but it is a rapidly growing brand.  It is great to be working with such an ambitious and positive developer.

“The proposal for Chester has clear synergies with the wider mix of other land uses found in this part of the city and it is anticipated that there will be a rise in the number of new visitors to the area, which will undoubtedly increase expenditure in local economy – in particular in the cafés, bars, restaurants and shops located close to the site.”

There are several Chester hotel schemes moving forward. Castlebridge won consent last summer for a 73-bedroom hotel to be operated under the Indigo brand in Grosvenor Park Road, while Muse Developments was reported last year to be advancing plans at City Place, across the canal from the Moxy site. Crowne Plaza is to build a new hoyel as par of the £300m Northgate scheme.

How has also worked on Moxy applications for Vastint UK in Birmingham and Milton Keynes.