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CHESTER CITY
The cathedral City of Chester is familiar to teen-soap
fans as the setting for Hollyoaks, but it's the Roman fortress built in 47-59 A.D. significantly improved by the
arrival of the Legion II Adiutrix in AD 71. that gives it true recognition and importance as a national and international
City.
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|
It was referred to as Castra Deva(derived from 'Deva', the Celtic name for the River Dee, and 'castra' the camp) or Castra Legionis
(the legionary fortress) it progressed into the Middle Ages as Legaceaster
from this we have the name Chester
today.
The fortress becomes an important centre under the Roman occupation of Britain. Nowadays, the landscape has greatly changed and been built up that it is not easy to appreciate the
advantages
of the site; but to the Roman Army it would have been very obvious The River Dee was most
important, which at that time was still navigable right up to the sandstone ridge on which the fortress was constructed.
This provided a superb harbour; the lowest crossing point of the river was to provide the first gateway to the
City. |
M.Favonius Facilis |
|
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The Roman walls encircled the fort, protecting it
from the marauding Welsh tribes. In the middle ages (c.907), the walls of the city were rebuilt and adorned with
turrets by Ethelred, Duke of Mercia, and his wife Ethelfleda to protect the fortress from Norsemen who were settling
in the Wirral. Chester became a wealthy port, and its in the late Middle Ages that we find the
origin
of the "Magpie style Rows" two-tier shopping galleries,
beneath these row buildings are a series of remarkable stone vaulted cellars or under crofts, a constant reminder
that underneath Chester are some of the most important
archaeological
remains
in the country.
Its
revival
under the Victorians recorded by the Chester Chronicle
1775-1975
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|
"Dating from about 1850 a redevelopment of Chester was to take place in the
black - and - white renaissance style which is clearly evident today in all the principal streets and at its best
probably in St.Werburgh street. A handful of local architects determined the character of old Chester in the nineteenth
century they pretended that it was unchanged from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by reproducing, more
elaborate , the earlier domestic town style of half timber gables.
In many instances the height betrays the fiction even to the untrained eye. But there is no doubt that generations
of tourists have been happily taken in by the Tudor of T. M. Penson, T. M. Lockwood and John Douglas. Photographs
and postcards, of Chester Cross and the Eastgate clock, are the folk symbols of the old town known throughout the
world. Lockwood created the Cross as represented by the corner buildings joining Eastgate-Street and Bridge-Street
Rows and Douglas designed the setting and ornamentation of the clock for Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee. In Northgate-Street
there are Douglas and Lockwood again, the arcaded west Row, replacing the true Shoemakers Row about 1897. In St.
Werburgh - Street all the east side is Douglas, dominating Bridge - Street east is Lockwoods St. Michaels Buildings,
an early Grosvenor estate development." |
Tourism
The topography, street pattern and buildings reflect
its history, its legacy from the past everywhere, it is undoubtedly one of the most attractive and unusual cities.
A cornucopia of
delights has lured travellers and tourists for centuries, in the
18th century James Boswell wrote
'I was quite enchanted
at Chester, so that I could with difficulty quit it. '
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|
Tourism is significant to the cities economy bringing
approximately £350 million per year in income, the 1993 Chester Tourism study identified that 44% of visitors
expenditure was on shopping there is an obvious need of visitors. It is now recognised that shopping is the number
one leisure activity. It has brought difficulty with pollution, overcrowding and traffic congestion; to those narrow
Roman founded streets.
A policy that limits the c 6 million visitors (including 5 million day visitors)
*
would have an adverse impact on Chester's tourist trade and consequential resident market share. Chester still
needs to remain an urban city, Cestrians also need convenient shopping the city has to be accessible, this is essential
to its vitality. It is important for local residents and shoppers/tourists to be able combine convenience shopping
with
trips
for other purposes. |
CONSERVATION
In 1945 Charles Greenwood recognised an
early need for conservation, when giving his plan for the redevelopment of Chester.
"A planning scheme
for Chester should aim at preserving the inner area as far as possible in its existing form and character, making
such improvements and adjustments as may be necessary within its present structure."
However the Conservation programme was not to get underway until 1970.
Conservation and enhancement of Chester's historic environment are needed, careful control to any development within
the city is important. In 1964 Grenfell
G. Baines presented his plan for the
City which focused on shopping, traffic management and new development. The importance of the historic fabric was
acknowledged but
large
scale development was felt appropriate.
He said:-
"Chester's face
is her fortune, it is the character of the city its rows and the charm of its architecture and environment generally
which draws the visitor and which chiefly accounts for its high figure of retail trade per head of population."
Errors were made in the
1960's
in Chester, at the same time legal recognition was being given to the importance of groups
of buildings and the space between them (the Civic Amenities Act of 1967)
Donald Insall was commissioned
to prepare a detailed conservation study and strategy which is still relevant today. As a result of his study and
report during 1966-67 ('Chester: A Study in Conversation') the City Council established an active Conservation
Programme.
A recital of the Mayor, Aldermen and sheriffs of
the city attributed to c.1573 indicate the importance of Chester's unique quality, we have to preserve this for
future generations to come and see.
'The buildings are very
ancient, and the houses built in such sort: that a man may go dry from one part of the City, to another, and never
come in the street, But go, as it were in galleries, which they call (The
Rows
) which have shops, on both side, and underneath, with dyvers stairs to
go up and down, into the streets. which manner of building , I have not heard of, in any place of Christendom.'
Chester's unique heritage is of national and international importance. When the Secretary of State for the Environment
Michael Heseltine approved the Structure Plan for 1992 , he said that if the historic character of Chester is to
be maintained there may be "limits
to the safe growth of the City.'' Development
should be of a 'strategic scale' be compatible with the conservation and enhancement of
the city centre, where appropriate, contribute to the improvement of the City's transport network and be consistent
with the City's role as a Sub-Regional Centre.
He is one of many who appreciate, why it is now
so often called the "Jewel
in the Crown ''
In 1976 the City Council published its first Conservation Review Study, both to report on progress and to make
recommendations for the continuing Programme. Its conclusions seem as relevant today as they did then;
"Change has been
rapid over the past decade, and in the present economic climate predictions for the next decade are impossible.
Chester's architectural heritage has resisted many disasters over the past two thousand years. To ensure that today's
heritage has a future beyond the next decade, it will be necessary to pursue an ongoing, positive and vigorous
conservation programme, fully utilising all the resources available."
In September 1993, Cheshire County Council, and Chester City Council along with English Heritage
appointed Building Design Partnership, Donaldsons and MVA to carry out a study called "Chester: The future of an Historic City ''.
The sustainable approach
In 1987 the World Commission on Environment and
Development (the Brundtland Commission) defined sustainable development as:
"Development which
meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
The Earth Summit in Rio in June 1992 established a global environmental agenda for the 21st century called Agenda
21. In May 1994, in a major step towards achieving sustainability, Chester City Council became a signatory to the
Sustainable Cities Campaign. It is part of the wider debate that is occurring nationally about the need to secure
sustainable development to enhance the future of our cities.
All Local Plans must be based on the concept of "
sustainable
development" that is, they must
make adequate provision for development and at the same time, take account of the need to protect the natural and
built environment. The UK Strategy published in 1994, recognises the important role of the planning system, in
regulating development and the use of land in the public interest. It says that a sustainable planning framework
should provide for the nation's needs for commercial and industrial development, food production, minerals extraction,
new homes and other buildings, while respecting other environmental objectives; use already-developed areas in
the most efficient way; conserve the cultural heritage and natural resources; and shape new development patterns
in a way which minimises the need to travel.
Conservation as a desirable objective has continued to grow in importance, the Planning system must be based on
the principles of sustainable development. In order to achieve this, policies must be based on the "precautionary principle''
The aim of sustainable development should be to
protect
open
space, enhance characteristic habitats, and ensure that
the overall quality of the natural and man-made environment is maintained.
Forward Planning
Cheshire County Council's
Replacement Structure Plan 2011 (adopted on 1st July 1999) sets out overriding principles to ensure that any development
in Chester, respects and enhances the special qualities of the City, and helps to improve the transport situation.
These guiding principles are further extended by the study entitled "Chester: The future of an Historic City
''these are the relevant guidelines for the Greater Chester local plan.
It is now obligatory for a council to produce a single Local Plan for the whole of its District, following strict
procedures set out in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 section 36-38, and detailed in Government regulations
(PPG12) and the regional guidance for the North West (RPG13) which support it.
No New Pan
for 22 years
Normally a local plan sets out the specific policies
and proposals for the use of land and buildings in an area for a period of 10 years or so. The last Greater Chester
Local Plan was adopted in 1983, it continued in use for development control purposes, and technically is part of
the Development Plan.
In February/ March 1988 a Draft Revised Local Plan was placed on deposit, after a local inquiry November/December
1988 and having considered the inspector's report the Council resolved to adopt it 2nd March 1990, to prevent the
Council adopting it the Secretary of State put a "holding" direction on it, which did not have an end
date, then the Secretary of State published his draft modifications to the County Council
Structure
Plan, and on
the 23rd January 1992 the Secretary of State confirmed his modifications and decision to reinstate the Green Belt
boundary around Chester.
After considering his recommendations Chester City Council resolved not to adopt the Greater Chester Local Plan.
The City Council however used it for development brief purposes.
Considering the previous Local Plans to be out of date and no longer consistent with national and strategic planning
guidance, Chester Council then used the Draft Greater Chester Local Plan placed on Deposit in October/November
1997, but once again the process of adoption has been protracted, the Public Inquiry held October 1999/December
2001 considered objections to the Plan with consultation on the proposed changes October 1999/December 2001, the
Inspector issued his report (2002) with the review of modifications (June/July 2004) still ongoing at this present
time.
When adopted it will replace and update the adopted Greater Chester Local Plan 1983;
the draft revised Greater Chester district Plan
1988
; the
adopted Chester Rural Areas Local Plan and part of the Mersey Marshes Local Plan which was adopted by the County
Council in 1986 (
*
).
This development is a technical departure from the Development plan, and under the terms of
the Shopping Direction of 1993, should have been referred to the Secretary of State for determination.
According to Chester City's
Council website, the proposals for the Northgate Development was referred to the Government Office for the Regions,
to consider whether it would be appropriate for the Secretary of State to call it in. However the Government Office
for the Regions indicated that Secretary of State did not intend to call in the application, which would have resulted
in a public enquiry and dealt with the planning aspects of the scheme.
I would therefore ask you to reconsider
the following points.
| a) |
Does the scheme improve the quality of the existing
environment attract business and investment and reinforce
civic
pride
(PPG1) |
| b) |
Is the scheme compatible with the scale of the city and its surrounding area (PPG1) |
| c) |
Does the proposed design have regard for its relationship
(PPG 6) within the City? |
| d) |
Whether the quantum of new
retail
floor space, taken cumulatively with other developments, would adversely impact the city. |
| e) |
Will the proposal adversely affect any historic buildings
(PPG 15), the retail capacity of the historic
Rows
? |
| f) |
Whether or not the scheme will preserve (PPG9) or enhance
the character and appearance of the
conservation
area. |
| g) |
Whether sufficient
consultation
has taken place to be able to make an informed decision. |
| h) |
Whether the scheme enhances or detracts from the architectural quality and historic interest of the city centre. |
| i) |
Whether there was adequate provision for archaeological (PPG 16) investigation |
| j) |
Is the proposal consistent with the provisions of a statutory development
plan
? |
| k) |
Whether sufficient consideration
has been given to the
transport
strategy (PPG 13) achieving sustainable transport choices, |
| |
whether the increased traffic increase, and highway
capacity issues exacerbate the existing problems. |
This new style development takes the form of a 'Trojan
Horse' we hear exuberance, of its virtues proclaimed by Greek and Trojan alike. The scheme proposes to draw trade, and retailers from the city centre shops, it adversely
affects the flows of pedestrians pulling them away from the traditional Streets. There will be an inevitable impact
on the viability on the fringe shopping areas, by the increase of such a large content of
retail
activity. The creation of new polarized rental zones which will adversely affect the letting
of the shops in the
Rows
.
Independent consultant report
The scheme is controversial, it is too
large
, not "Chester
" not needed, not sufficiently thought through in terms
of potential impact on
retail
and traffic in the City centre and the operation of bus services.
Since the 1994
Study
, the revised version of
PPG6
together
with PPG13 has placed particular emphasis on promoting development in town centres and planning for the future
of town centres. Given the level of out of centre retail developments and commitments in the Chester area and in
the light of current government retail policy, it is considered that the focus should be on seeking to add to the
range and quality of Chester city centre shopping to enhance the centre's attractiveness as a retail destination
particularly in the face of increasing competition for out of centre retail developments in the Chester area and
further a field at Trafford Park.
However, new city centre development should not
exacerbate existing problems of congestion within parts of the centre which may detract from the centre's overall
drawing power. There should be an independent consultant report on the impact of this proposed development (retail/
traffic) before compulsory purchase is approved. It needs to be shown with the maximum clarity how far and in what
form Chester could grow while preserving intact its unique character.
It is important that such a study should be, and
be seen to be, as objective and authoritative as possible. There would be an advantage in commissioning independent
consultants of an international or national reputation.
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