6 Chester

6 Chester

National policy

6.1 Plans should promote sustainable patterns of development including making effective use of land in urban areas and set out a positive strategy for the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment.  Green Belt policy (including grey belt) maintains a key purpose of Green Belt is to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns.

Evidence base

• Chester City Gateway Strategic Regeneration Framework
• One City Plan (Chester)
• Economic Needs Assessment (2025)
• Retail Study (in preparation)
• Housing Needs Assessment (to be prepared)
• Revised Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document (2022)
• Chester Archaeological Plan
• Chester Rows Design Guide
• Chester Characterisation Study
• Chester Transport Strategy
• Land Availability Assessment (Stage One) (Stage Two in preparation)
• Places Background Paper
   

Key issues

• Chester is the borough’s largest settlement in terms of population (and dwellings) and is the main centre for offices, employment , culture, retail, leisure, higher education and tourism with a rail station serving London, Manchester, Merseyside and North Wales.
• Chester is internationally renowned as a historic city and need to protect this including historic core and setting of the city including strategic open space.
• This is the only area in Cheshire West and Chester where Green Belt release was considered justified due to role of the sub-regional role of the City, high levels of in-commuting, affordable housing need and delivering a mix of housing (family homes).
• Slow delivery of Chester Business Quarter as prestige office allocation close to the rail station.
• Supporting new offices spaces in the city centre
• Identifying and retaining employment land allocations and sites due to pressure for residential development. 
• The city centre has faced challenges not only from the national decline of shopping functions on the high street but from out of centre locations but is still a relatively attractive centre especially for leisure and culture.
• Through the last Local Plan, Green Belt was assessed and only land at Wrexham Road was released as a strategic site with no other areas released due to harm to Green Belt purposes including the setting of the city. 
• How to plan for and deliver infrastructure for the Gateway area including a new footway/cycle bridge over the railway. 
• Dale Barracks closure for military purposes will potentially enable redevelopment for other uses. 
• Parking policy and requirements in the city centre and surrounding area may be holding back residential schemes 
• Supporting new residential development whilst ensuring other uses are not displaced or conflict with existing leisure uses.
• The Chester Transport Strategy identified a potential package of measures including a 5th park and ride site (Hoole) and investigating a relief road for the west of the city.
• Less pressure for student accommodation including purpose built than during previous Local Plan.

Map 6.1 Chester settlement area and key constraints (View full image)

Current adopted policy

Suggested policy approach

6.2 The level of development will depend on spatial strategy option chosen (see section SS 5 ‘Spatial strategy options’) but will seek to maximise housing and other development on previously developed land. Chester is the area with one of best levels and opportunities for public transport use, walking and wheeling therefore the new Local Plan plan will seek to increase housing especially in the city centre area. The approach will prioritise the protection of the historic environment as core to protecting the character of the city that makes it a special and highly valued place. 

6.3 The suggested approach is to combine Local Plan (Part One) policy STRAT 3 with Local Plan (Part Two) policy CH 1 as the overarching and locally distinct policy for Chester but update as needed especially to reflect allocations that have been completed and/or require a new approach.  

6.4 Local Plan (Part Two) policy CH 2 for the Chester regeneration areas will be updated to reflect the new Chester City Gateway Strategy but it is proposed to continue to include policies for Commonhall Street, Chester Castle/ Riverside (including hydro power generation) and Northgate for the remaining phases of the development.  

6.5 Chester City Gateway seeks to regenerate and improve the area around Chester rail station, including improved accessibility including new or upgraded bridges especially connecting Hoole to promote walking, wheeling and cycling. The strategy aims to deliver over 600 new homes with a mix of well-designed new houses, particularly for younger people, whilst creating sustainable healthy communities with access to facilities and green space. The strategy also seeks to build on the role of improved transport, place and housing offer to support economic growth. 

6.6 The Local Plan (Part Two) employment allocations policy CH 3 will be updated or site-specific policies developed to reflect allocations. It is proposed to retain Local Plan (Part Two) policy CH 4 for the University of Chester but can be updated if necessary. 

6.7 It is proposed to retain Local Plan (Part Two) policy CH 5 for Chester’s Conservation Area and Local Plan (Part Two) policy CH 6 for Chester's key views, landmarks and gateways, and historic skyline as these are locally distinct policies that seek to protect the special character of Chester. Local Plan (Part Two) policy CH 5 will be amended to reference the Chester Rows Design Guide which was completed in 2022. Local Plan (Part Two) policy DM 50 seeks to protect archaeological heritage assets and requires the Chester Archaeological plan to be consulted, which defines areas of archaeological significance and primary and secondary archaeological character zones. This aspect of Local Plan (Part Two) policy DM 50 will be incorporated into the Chester policy section to ensure the special archaeological assets of Chester continue to be protected.

6.8 Several large-scale major sites in the Green Belt are located close to the settlement boundary edge of Chester – Chester Zoo, Countess of Chester Health Park, Dale Barracks and Chester Business Park. The chosen spatial strategy (see SS 5 ‘Spatial strategy options’) will determine whether Green Belt boundaries will be amended, and the relevant existing policies may need to be amended to reflect this and/or national changes to Green Belt policy (including grey belt policy and guidance).  It is proposed to retain the content of Local Plan (Part Two) policies GBC 1.A-D to provide a framework and guidance for future development of these areas subject to comments received including from site owners/operators.  Dale Barracks will be put forward as a potential allocation due to the Ministry of Defence wishing to cease military use of the site.  Local Plan (Part Two) policies GBC 1.A-D will be amended to reflect the changes since the last plan and streamlined where necessary to avoid the repetition of policies and/or reflect changes to national policy. 

6.9 Current Local Plan (Part One) policy STRAT 10 Transport and Accessibility, and Local Plan (Part Two) policies T1 Local road network improvement schemes, T2 A56 Hoole Road corridor and T3 Railway Stations have criteria and proposals that impact Chester. Future policies in the Chester section or transport section will need to reflect updated proposals for transport in the city.  

6.10 Parking standards for residential development are the same across the borough although a more flexible approach can be taken for the re-use of buildings in high density areas that traditionally have no dedicated parking provision, such as The Rows in Chester. The supplementary planning document states this should only be for schemes that achieve other key aims such as preserving or enhancing heritage significance and the vitality and viability of town centres. For other users e.g. offices, hotels the number of spaces required are reduced within the Chester City inner zone and intermediate zone.  Local Plan (Part Two) policy T5 also prevents the redevelopment of existing public car parks unless adequate replacement is provided.  

6.11 To promote residential development within the city centre and surrounding area in line with the One City Plan and Chester Gateway study it is proposed that a revised approach is taken to parking. This could mean zero or limited parking would be required for new residential, office, hotel or other developments within existing or amended inner and intermediate zones. Further that car parks in The Gateway area can be redeveloped without alternative provision being made although the aim to improve parking facilities at the rail station would remain unchanged.   

6.12 Chester Business Park continues to be an important office location although there may be a need to take a more flexible approach to employment uses on the site. The Economic Needs Assessment (2025) identifies the city as being attractive to businesses but there needs to be the right type of office provision.