Grosvenor Park plans on display
Cheshire West & Chester Council is holding an exhibition for public consultation on proposals for the restoration of the 14-acre park in Chester.
Draft plans will be on display at Chester Library at the following times:
- Thursday 9 June – 5pm to 7pm
- Friday 10 June – 9.30am to 5pm
- Saturday 11 June – 9.30am to 4pm
Cheshire West & Chester Council made a successful stage one application to the Heritage Lottery Fund's Parks for People programme for the £3.5m restoration project and was awarded £94,300 to progress plans to a detailed submission for stage two of the HLF process and workstages C to D of the RIBA architectural design standard.
The council said a detailed submission will be made in the autumn, which will include a bid for £2.26m from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
In February, the council awarded Manchester-based design and engineering consultancy Scott Wilson a £129,000 contract to help draw up plans for the project.
The council said plans include developing Grosvenor Park back to its original landscape and create a Green Flag standard park through new investment in the park infrastructure, landscape and buildings as well as events and activities to appeal to all sections of the community.
Grosvenor Park is a Grade 2-listed landscape overlooking the River Dee on the English Heritage register of historic parks and gardens.
Cllr Stuart Parker, executive member for culture and recreation at the council, said: "Grosvenor Park means a great deal to the local community and is enjoyed by more than 260,000 visitors each year.
"The aim of this project will be to restore and develop the historic park, a gift to the city of Chester from Richard Grosvenor, the Second Marquis of Westminster, so that it continues to be an important and attractive place for future generations to visit.
"The original landscape of the park was designed by Edward Kemp and architect John Douglas designed the Park Lodge – a building which will be restored as part of the project."
The park consists of an upper area of open lawns defined by a strong network of footpaths, with some accompanying shrub and flowerbeds and a lower area of rockeries and quarry gardens occupying the slopes down towards the river front.
The council said people do not need to book to attend the exhibition. Council staff and the consultant's design team will be on hand to discuss the proposals on Thursday between 5pm and 7pm and on Friday and Saturday between 12pm and 3pm.
For further information visit the Cheshire West & Chester website here or call the council's Greenspaces development team on 01606 271931 or email greenspace@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
