Northgate Development

From Chester Wiki

Contents 1 The Development 2 The Objective 3 Where is Northgate? 4 Plans and Images of Northgate 5 Proposed Timeline 6 Local View 7 Progress

[edit] The Development

ING has been appointed by Chester City Council to redevelop the area fronting onto Northgate Street and behind Watergate Street to create a new quarter for the people of Chester. This will be the largest and most ambitious redevelopment in the city centre for decades and costing and estimated £280 million. Since the appointment, extensive discussions have taken place with members of the Council, its officers and various national and local bodies such as English Heritage and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.

[edit] The Objective

Including

•a new 150,000 sq ft House of Fraser department with a rooftop restaurant and up to 60 new shops and retail outlets of various sizes,

•a new flagship performing arts centre catering for more than 800 people,

•a modern covered market fronting onto Town Hall Square,

•a library twice the size of the present one,

•a new bus station with safe access to the shops,

•restaurants and cafes around a new public square,

•a 652 space, well lit, modern, safe and secure multi-storey car park,

•a new shop mobility unit at Trinity Street car park,

•124 flats, including a number of affordable homes,

•improvement to the Town Hall housing a relocated Registrars Office,

•a fresh-looking Town Hall Square with popular local and foreign markets.

- "The new development will blend in with its surroundings while enhancing Chester’s special character and local distinctiveness. The proposals also preserve and interpret local archaeology and history."

Scheduled to be completed by 2011

[edit] Where is Northgate?

The Northgate Development Area stretches from Watergate Street at its southern border up to New Hunter Street and the Odeon cinema to the north; and bordered by the St.Martin’s Way inner ring road and Moat House hotel to the west and to the east by Northgate Street itself running right up from the Cross through Town Hall Square up to the Odeon cinema.

[edit] Plans and Images of Northgate

You can view a number of different plans for the future development of Northgate.

The Northgate Model is a scale model of the proposed development currently on display at the Chester City Council offices. Two photos of the model can be seen on the Northgate website on Chester City Councils site.

Images of Northgate shows some of the draft architects designs for some of the key areas.

The Master Plan allows you to see how the whole project fits together and offers a walkthrough some of the key areas.

The Traffic Circulation Plan shows the access routes for the various users of the shopping centre.

[edit] Proposed Timeline

- May 07 - Demolition of St Martin's House, former Mission Hall and Masonic Lodge commences.

- Sept 07 - The scheme goes unconditional (which means that it will happen).

- Sept 07 - Bus station closes.

- Sept-Dec 07 - Remainder of Hunter Street properties demolished.

- Oct 07 - Work starts on 49 Northgate Street.

- June 07- Gorse Stacks car park closes.

- Sept 07-Oct 08 - Market phase 1 built.

- Nov 07 - Rear of Watergate Street properties demolished.

- Jan 08-Jan 09 - Works carried out to Town Hall.

- Oct 08 - Market, Princess Street car park close.

- Sept 07-Dec 08 - City Council offices constructed.

- April 09-Feb 11 - shops and homes built.

- Dec 10 - New library complete

- 2011 - Scheme opens.

The work involving Gorse Stacks and the City Council offices remains uncertain at 26 May 2007. A final decision is expected to be made by 31 May.

[edit] Local View

That information is taken from the Council website. So what do the people of Chester think? You can discuss it here on this site in our Forum.

There is also the possibility to air your views on the Chester Renaissance Forum.

[edit] Progress

Click here to see the Northgate Development Progress