CHESTER: RE-IMAGINING THE HIGH STREET

RE-IMAGINING THE HIGH STREET

SECTION 1

40 Trends by 2040

CBRE research Identifies…| 40 Trends by 2040

Enhanced interaction will drive engagement through virtual and augmented reality, holograms and haptic.

City centres, such as Chester, will be vehicle-free.

Open-air retail centres will grow in popularity.

3D printing will serve as invisible inventory.

The circular economy will become part of the way people interact with business.

Specialised stores will re-emerge as a force in retail.

There will be a resurgence of local markets and experiences – focus on wellness and health and focus on organic, handcrafted goods.

A dynamic shift will occur in how goods are produced, with automation and new manufacturing processes coming on stream.

Trust and transparency will become objective –and measurable.

Physical stores will be reimagined through digital technology and retailers will cater to digitally driven shopping habits.

Retailers will focus on understanding customer emotions – emotionally connected customers will become more valuable than highly satisfied ones.

Customers will expect their loyalty to be rewarded – this will be facilitated through customer loyalty programs and members clubs, and partnerships between retailers and non-retailers.

Storefronts will become virtual stores after hours – windows will be used in conjunction with smartphone/ similar deliveries to create animated and visual output, tailored to the user.

Health-focused offers and products will be more prominent –veganisim will be more popular and artificial “meat” will result in more people following a plant-based diet.

Personal enhancement services will require more space and may be demonstrated via virtual and augmented reality technology.

Delivery will be when and where you want it – without you even realising. Core items will be reordered automatically and dispatched each week. Logistics companies will use data to plan more accurately.

Landlords will welcome emerging brands that are experience-driven and connected with the local community. Lease contracts may become shorter and more flexible and demand for local concepts may require changes to credit risk models.

Customisation will become the new loyalty – this will allow greater creative freedom and choice which will drive brand loyalty.

The sharing economy will be commonplace, extending beyond accommodation, transport and workspace. Being able to access as opposed to own.

Curating the offer will be a basic expectation; retailers which tailor products and services to a customer’s needs, supported by tech and use of data, will win.

Returns will be made simpler – through use of predefined return solutions (predetermined dates/ locations), use of autonomous vehicles/ drop off points, and potential for refund at point of return.

Delivery tracking information will be precise – certainty around delivery time, with accurate estimates given at time of purchase. Logistics firms will use data to plot ever more efficient delivery routes.

Flexible lease structures will be more common and some will be automated – with renewals and negotiations carried out via tech. Blockchain registry of leases, land registry, previous tenants etc. will also be in place.

Smartphones will no longer exist, but mobile commerce will increase. Augmented and VR will decrease overall dependency on smartphones and other real screens. Smaller, wearable gadgets will connect people to the IoT.

Independent stores and F&B operators will become more prevalent. Retail destinations will feature unique offerings curated towards the local catchment. Chains will develop “local” concepts and brand names giving the appearance of independents.

The traditional instore physical point of purchase will disappear. In-store data collection from browsing to choosing an item will be captured and available for analysis.

Fitting rooms help as opposed to hinder the shopping experience.

Technology will allow users to request a different size or style via touchscreen or voice control and lighting tech will allow different settings to be created.

Wellness establishments will grow in number. Fitness centres will become commonplace and lifestyle stores will become more popular as people look to buy clothes and products to support their healthy-living aspirations.

Consumers will be able to experience a purchase before making payment. Temporary access to products will become more commonplace. VR and haptic technology will facilitate this.

The focus of petrol stations globally will shift as they become important minilogistics hubs and as fuelling needs change.

Shopping centres will become simply “centres” evolving into mixed-use destinations with a focus on delivering what people want, where they want it.

Retail will be leisure; the divide will become increasingly blurred with brands addressing the need for experience in their stores. Stores will become as much showrooms as a place to make a purchase with in-store leisure elements integrated.

The power of prediction has enabled decisionmaking to be outsourced to machines. A large proportion of basic goods will be ordered and delivered without the need for “shopping” in the traditional sense.

Personal ownership of cars has dramatically reduced. Car fleets will own and operate driverless vehicles. Governments will legislate to create “autonomous vehicleonly” lanes and routes.

Customer experiences are specific not generis. There will be more focus on niche centres capturing a larger portion of spending from a smaller targeted group and successful brands will predict and react to consumers.

Buying what you want, where and how you want is the norm; technological advances will allow products to be purchased simply by capturing an image. Photos are “shoppable” online.

Stores have become showrooms and experiential brand centres. Customers test/try/play in store and purchased items are delivered the store the same day or to their homes the next day.

Pure play is no longer an important part of retail. Pure-play retailers will reimagine the physical store.

They have fewer preconceived views of how a store should operate.

Robotics and automation will replace many jobs in the retail sector. Repetitive, mundane tasks are likely to be automated allowing customers to enter stores, purchase goods and exit

Competition for people’s disposable income has increased; to survive, retailers have to think creatively and incorporate experiences that make consumers want to return.

What could this mean for Chester?

Chester will utilise its unparalleled cultural and heritage offer to create a truly bespoke, but comprehensive user experience. One that reappropriates the City’s heritage to create an offer within which retail and leisure are seamlessly integrated.

Across Chester City Centre, the lines between retail and leisure will blur. Traditional stores will become less prevalent and in their place will be experiential facilities hosting a series of tailored and highly bespoke retail and leisure opportunities.

Chester will cater to a younger and more diverse residential population. A population that moves towards a more sophisticated sharing economy which will extend beyond transport, accommodation and workplace.

The City Centre will transition to be car-free with peripheral car parks being used as satellite locations for private vehicle parking. Innovative pay-as-you-go ridesharing options will be used for transport within and around the City Centre utilising e-scooters, bikes, e-bikes and public transport. This will be bolstered through Chester’s existing suitability for a 15-minute City model with home, work and leisure conveniently located within walking distance.

The City will host a thriving University, which will further boost the residential population as well as driving the local economy forward both in terms of workers and spenders.

The art of creation will be embedded in the retail experience (from F&B to convenience and comparison retailing) meaning that customers within Chester will be able to experience the creation of goods and products both directly and through the use of technology.

Retail stores will be augmented through open air “pop-up” retail and F&B opportunities, with public spaces more freely being given over to such uses.

Independent stores and F&B offers will be commonplace, specialising in more sustainable, low carbon and local products.

Health, wellbeing, beauty and personal enhancement services will become commonplace within the City Centre. A focus upon healthy lifestyle choices will encourage residents and visitors to use the City Centre as a playground for exercise and healthy living. Resources such as Grosvenor Park, Chester Meadows, the Racecourse and River will be instrumental in providing space for healthier and life-style conscious community.

Technology will be fully embedded and completely integrated into our everyday lives. VR, augmented reality, hologram and haptic technology will become an integral part of the retail, cultural and visitor experience within Chester allowing shoppers to create their own highly personalised service and visitors to fully appreciate the history of Chester.

Virtual storefronts within Chester provide click and collect opportunities for certain shopper requirements. Automated product picking services will remove the need for traditional shop floorspace and will “free up” space for other uses.

Improvements in technology will lead to opportunities for visual and creative arts to be completely interactive. Music, film, entertainment and gaming industries will be completely immersive and will require additional space beyond Storyhouse and Northgate.

Building on the Council’s use of flexible rent models, accommodation will become more flexible and the impacts of the sharing economy will lead to landlords welcoming emerging brands that are linked to the local community. As a result, lease contracts will become shorter and more flexible within Chester, whilst demand for local concepts will encourage changes to credit risk models and investment models for both the public and private sector.

SECTION

2

Priority Actions

1/ Active City Centre Management

An active approach to managing the City Centre should be pursued. Critical to this is an appreciation of the time and work that will be involved in bringing about change. A new role should be created for an individual to have strategic oversight and be the focus of all City Centre activities. The individual will work in association with the Council and have a skill set not currently found at the Council. The individual will have responsibility for delivering the change required to meet modern expectations of City Centres and the demands of those wanting to experience a lifestyle synonymous with modern City Centre living.

2/ Presumption in Favour of Residential Use

A key aim of planning policy should be to increase residential living in the City Centre. This principle should inform any update of the One City Plan or re-draft of the Council’s Development Plan. Residential living includes niche residential products such as student accommodation and aparthotels. This will build on current opportunities being explored by the Council to encourage upper floor conversions to residential in the historic Rows.

3/ Co-ordinated Cultural Events

An Exhibition Strategy should be formulated to ensure a spread of events throughout the year. This will ensure cultural events are co-ordinated and can complement each other to encourage visitors to return to Chester on multiple occasions, rather than competing for the same visitors. Linked to this, the Council should formulate a clear policy on the purpose of public space and how it can be used. Council owned public space should be considered an asset to be managed. Council owned public space should have a function and should be activated in collaboration with the private sector.

4/ Explore the Potential Benefits of Agglomeration

The Council should actively create additional space and areas within the City Centre to be the focus of particular enterprises. The Council should decide upon a sector which it wants to attract to the City Centre, seek out occupiers, and create an offer to bring about their relocation to Chester. A key benefit of the co-location of enterprises is that it creates a destination within a destination. The Council may want to consider the clustering of health, well-being, and beauty enterprises to coincide with emerging healthy living agendas.

5/ Role of the Stakeholders

The Council, with its stakeholders should continue to take responsibility for facilitating regeneration in the City Centre. It should therefore be actively looking to make positive interventions to maintain, facilitate, and enhance the City Centre environment and people’s experience of it. The present retail climate and the pressures brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic has brought about a generational opportunity. The reappropriation of the vacant units should be explored; the Council should look to faciliate and utilise vacant space to contribute to the future proofing of the City Centre and take advantage of the structural changes to the high-street which are taking place. There are a wide range of public sector funding opportunities available to unlock development schemes as set out at Appendix O and these should be carefully considered and applications made where strategic alignment is identified.

6/ Social Value

The City Centre should be an inclusive place to live and visit and to achieve this it is imperative the Council maintains an on-going engagement exercise with its stakeholders. Engaging with stakeholders will need to be an on-going commitment as the demographics of the City Centre, and by extension the changing needs and demands of its stakeholders, evolve.

To deliver the identified Vision for Chester City Centre, implementing the following initiatives should be considered as the minimum necessary to realise the City Centre’s potential.

Baseline data review

Data Sources Reviewed

A wide-range of data resources have been consulted to establish the ‘baseline position’ of Chester’s Retail Core (the Study area). Planning and evidence base documents produced by Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) have been consulted, documents which seek to guide and shape development in the City Centre. These Council produced documents have been enriched by market analysis reports and socio-demographic information. Together the wide-range of data sources consulted illuminate the role, function, and capacity of the City Centre, and enable one to anticipate the challenges and opportunities which the City Centre will be required to navigate in the future.

Primary Data Gathered

An extensive consultation exercise has been undertaken with key stakeholders to gain a unique local insight into Chester and the City Centre. Anecdotal evidence into the history and fortunes of Chester from people who know the area best has been candidly revealing in how local people understand their City and the challenges it faces and has enabled the authors to contextualise their understanding of the City. Complementing the author’s experience of the property industry and built environment with local knowledge has enabled strategies to be formulated which get to the heart of what needs to be done to maximise Chester’s strength and address its weaknesses.

Site Visits

A number of site visits in the form of walk-overs have been undertaken which has enabled the consultant team to gain an up-to-date understanding of the vacancy situation in the Retail Core and to ensure they have an in-depth understanding of the Study area.

SECTION 4

Analysis & Findings

Strengths

Demographic analysis shows high levels of disposable income in the areas around the City Centre.

Established retail, leisure and tourist destination with strong / unique visitor attractions.

A globally unique built heritage creating an unparalleled visitor offer.

Historic retail city with wide catchment.

Strong sense of city / civic identity.

A “walkable” city at macro level.

An improving Food and Beverage (F&B) offer.

Weaknesses

High levels of vacancy in key areas of the City Centre.

Poor pedestrian legibility - major attractions and USPs “hidden away” as a result of poor wayfinding.

Lack of intensity of use / diluted and disparate “patchy” offer.

High street characterised by poor accessibility in some areas.

Lack of coherent management across City Centre.

Opportunities

Vacant space provides a “blank canvass” for inducing change (i.e. former Debenhams unit, Grosvenor shopping centre).

Covid-19 recovery provides the opportunity to re-set the agenda and to refresh the high street strategy.

The refresh of the One City Plan could provide a new framework for the revitalisation of the high street.

A series of regeneration projects within the city (Northgate, Chester business quarter, Chester city gateway) can act as a catalyst for activity within the City Centre and could further support uses within the high street.

The University of Chester is seeking to grow its presence within CWaC and could assist in stimulating activity within the city.

Threats

Competition for occupiers / sectoral growth with other towns and cities.

Ongoing loss of retailers / vacancies will give the impression that the City Centre is in a state of decline.

Rental and business rates – not conducive to attracting and retaining high levels of occupiers.

Financial viability of maintaining and managing historic and underutilised buildings within the City Centre.

SECTION 5

Response

Retail and the High Street

1a. Rightsizing the retail core is key to creating clustering, vibrancy and a sense of place across the High Street and within the City Centre; Eastgate Street (including Grosvenor Shopping Centre), Foregate Street and some of Northgate St. is the logical heart of the City’s Retail Offer.

Sub-prime areas of the High Street (Watergate St., Bridge St., Werburgh St, Northgate St.) should be deployed to create an ecosystem whereby the High Street is supported. This includes the Rows, which are under-utilised and could perform a hugely valuable function in delivering covered dining space and augmenting the evening offer.

1b. Key occupiers should be engaged, supported and encouraged to take the “best space” within the city. An accountable body should take responsibility for establishing and maintaining these relationships with key occupiers whilst also taking responsibility for attracting and retaining new occupiers into the city – not just retailers!

1c. Wayfinding, signage and branding is poor across the city. A new joined-up approach should be deployed tying in a strong place brand (perhaps street-bystreet) with a new digital signage strategy for the City Centre. This would have the benefit of providing live information about events, offers and upcoming development proposals for the City - engaging residents and visitors alike.

1d. Examining how parking and other modes of travel can maximise and encourage visitors to the city. This should be tied into a wider transport offer, which incorporates ride sharing options (including Park & Ride) and active travel.

1e. We are in the midst of a profound change in the way that people interact with the High Street. This will continue over the next two decades and will undoubtedly impact upon the type of anchor uses that traditionally cemented the highstreet offer. Providing space for new experience-led uses and sectors should be considered within the city centre: Health, beauty and wellbeing / specialised stores / fitting rooms / gaming and e-sports / arts & creative space.

Catering for a growing residential population

2a. There is a need to provide a better level and broader spread of residential accommodation both within the city centre and on the fringe. Aligned to this is a need to ensure that vacant buildings within the city centre are properly utilised and fully occupied.

2b & 2c. Amenity for local people and residents will need to evolve to become more sophisticated. In reality this means: A more diverse food & beverage offering, convenience shopping: bakeries, butchers, off-licences, grocery stores etc. This could be delivered as an artisan, local offer. (i.e. Ancoats general store). Literally providing a shop window for great local producers. Health and well-being initiatives within the city centre should be improved. This is a fast-growing sector and has the potential to attract and retain young people and cater for a more health-conscious population. The City could become a living, breathing fitness resource. Such initiatives should be promoted on socialmedia, i.e. Park run (current nearest Park run is at Countess Park) / City run etc.Encouraging residents to interact with the city in a more meaningful way. Better utilisation of public spaces removing red tape and the feeling of “look but don’t touch”.

Driving forward the evening economy even further including events, cultural programs (both indoor and outdoor). Utilising public realm and public areas within the city (i.e. new Northgate). Tapping into the great work being done by Destination Chester and supercharging this.

2d. Embrace the fact that Chester is a university city. Take opportunities to bring the university into the heart of the city and to ensure that suitable student accommodation of a high quality is provided within the city walls. Students will benefit the city centre not just through spending but also through working with small businesses across the city. This will also improve opportunities for student retention within Chester and will bring vibrancy to the City.

2e. Appreciation that a larger residential population will impact upon the labour market and the need to generate employment opportunities. Housing and job growth are mutually dependent on each other to a large degree. Employers will seek to invest in areas where there is an active and available labour force, whilst there needs to be the necessary dwellings to house the prospective employees.

A coherent cultural offer

3a & 3b. The city‘s cultural centre pieces need to be easy to access, easy to find, linked together and easy to interact with.

Too much of what makes the city special is hidden away from public view, is underutilised and is not easily accessible –this has a negative impact on the city’s experiential offer. The City Centre should celebrate, preserve and enhance its heritage through the re-appropriation of characterful spaces. Future development should respond sensitively to this unique attribute of the City.

Visitors and residents should feel comfortable doing as much or as little as they want in the city centre and shouldn’t ever feel like they have run out of options for entertainment - in reality this means putting in place a series of different leisure opportunities and events within different parts of the city that continually change and keep interest. To make this authentic, it should be linked where possible to existing high-profile leisure activities associated with Chester (Chester Zoo, Storyhouse, Deva Roman Discovery Centre etc.)

3c & 3d. Building on Council initiatives with the Forum and Northgate Phase 1, small businesses, creatives and producers should be encouraged to test out ideas and products within the City. Northgate

Phase I is the logical breeding ground for such an offer, with the Council offering opportunities for follow-on growth space if appropriate. Innovative “turnover” rental agreements should be utilised to provide an ecosystem whereby start-ups can thrive.

The city should try to be more “playful” and should seek to engage visitors and residents at every juncture. Public spaces should be given over to an active and varied programme of events. Putting on an event should be straightforward. Full support should be given to the work being undertaken by Destination Chester through a dedicated Councilside resource. This resource should support Destination Chester in:

Advising on re-appropriation of public spaces to facilitate pop up events and performances

Identifying spaces (both public and private) that can be given over to events and performances

Programming and scheduling events within the city

Linking in with existing events and performance venues to help grow the offer

Liaising with the licencing team to assist others in putting on outdoor events and exhibitions.

3e. A strong labour market will by extension generate business tourism as meetings, exhibitions, and conferences arise from the sharing of ideas and launching of new ventures. It is vital that flexible facilities and infrastructure is available to maximise and accommodate these business activities.

Browns Building

4. The closure of Debenhams has created a number of knock-on impacts associated with the high-street, however this should not be seen in overly negative terms. This is the start of a new chapter rather than the end of the story. Recent announcements in respect of the Bobby’s Building in Bournemouth provide evidence that premises such as this can be fully reappropriated.

Re-occupying / re-purposing the building quickly should be a priority. The negative impact that this vacant space will have upon retailer confidence within the City could be significant.

Discussions with potential retailer occupiers are ongoing and should be fully explored as a “path of least resistance” to bringing the building back into use (either in part or in full). Council discussions with British Land should be concluded in this regard and every effort should be made to attract a retailer occupier back into unit.

In the event that this cannot be achieved, other options are available. The premises can be split “front to back” from Eastgate Street and could house a range of uses that do not require large levels of natural light (given the floorplate depths). Notionally, a scheme comprising: health & beauty concessions, an arts / creative / exhibition space, café, bar & restaurants, gym or health and wellbeing offer would work well within the space (from an operational perspective) and would augment the City’s existing offer. Discussions with the building owner should be undertaken to explore the feasibility of this in further detail.

The benefits that an established health and beauty offer bring to the city are significant. This offer (previously housed at Debenhams) has historically driven significant footfall within the City and has been associated with high levels of sales activity. The Council / CGP should seek to engage with beauty concessionary occupiers to understand how and where this offer might be re-provided.

Grosvenor Shopping Centre

5. Grosvenor Shopping Centre was placed into receivership in 2020 and it is understood that the Shopping Centre will be sold in due course.

In the intervening period vacant spaces within the Shopping Centre, could be re-appropriated as meanwhile spaces. The Shopping centre benefits from large covered areas and acts as a thoroughfare between different past of the city. As such, whilst not fully occupied, it does benefit from good footfall.

In the longer term, opportunities should be considered for the sustainable reuse of the shopping centre. The facility benefits from large areas of space and it is understood that the site is relatively unconstrained from a heritage and archaeology perspective.

The Council should work with the receivers to prepare a briefing note on the potential longer-term development opportunities associated with the site. This could include residential development (various tenures), student residential or leisure development. As the determining authority, the Council has the opportunity to lead on this exercise and to encourage new thinking in respect of the site’s future, which could serve to attract additional private sector interest in the asset.

In the event that this cannot be achieved, more traditional opportunities could be considered to capitalise upon emerging sectors (as outlined within Point 6 of the Retail and High Street Slide).

SECTION 6

Action Plans

Retail and the High Street

1b. Engaging with key landlords and occupiers

CWaC / CGP / BID – To preside over the establishment of a specific body which is tasked with engaging with existing landlords and occupiers, trouble shooting, disseminating information and strategy from CWaC, and attracting inward investment into Chester. Such a group should not focus solely upon retail but should look at an holistic offer.

CWaC / CGP / BID - Exit interviews should be undertaken with brands / occupiers leaving Chester to better understand “push factors”.

Key major funds include:

1a. Rightsizing the retail core and sub-prime support for a re-invigorated retail offer

CWaC - The Council should take responsibility for facilitating regeneration in the City Centre. It should therefore be actively looking to make positive interventions to maintain, facilitate, and enhance the City Centre environment and people’s experience of it.

CWaC – Development Control to continue to adopt flexible approach to determining planning applications for non-retail uses within sub-prime locations across the city (Watergate St, Bridge Street, St Werburgh St, Northgate St.). This should seek to re-enforce the primary retail core whilst providing activity and interest at street level.

CWcC - Look at whether policy refresh is needed (in line with Central Govt. direction of travel) to facilitate a much more flexible approach to retail, F&B, leisure, and community uses within subprime areas of the City Centre.

CWaC / CGP – Utilise One City Plan refresh to signpost direction of travel in respect of rightsizing and supporting uses within sub-prime areas.

CWaC – Use Northgate to provide flexible, cheap space which can incubate start-up producers, F&B operators, and creatives to assist in the delivery of an authentic “Chester” offer for the City.

CWaC – Utilise existing assets along Watergate Street to provide ‘growon’ space for creatives / producers which are considering moving on from Northgate.

Key “propco” and smaller funds include:

Key occupiers include:

DAVIES RODEN TOPLAND

DISTRICT ESTATES

Retail and the High Street continued

1c. Signage and wayfinding 1d. Car parking

CWaC - There is an opportunity to tie up various work streams such as through the digital signage strategy and work being done via the HAZ.

CWaC - Following the installation of the pilot a digital signage strategy should be implemented in locations of high footfall and in positions where visitors are likely to congregate and require wayfinding advice.

Signage should be able to display live information in respect of:

Events taking place within the city

Special offers within the city

Regeneration

Roadworks / parking restrictions / disruption etc.

As well as providing wayfinding and locational information, such an offer could also be interactive and could enable individuals to ask questions, engage with tourism advisors etc.

Need to examine the role local authority managed car parking, as well as that from other providers, and other transport modes plays in terms of drawing in shoppers into the city on certain days of the week/certain times of the year.

There is an opportunity to review best practice parking systems and use of technology to facilitate users - please refer to specific research below in respect of latest digital innovation in respect of Car Parking.

1e. Responding to change

CBRE has undertaken some high-level research relating to the gaming market, beauty concessions market, as well as trying to understand the future of town and city centres through consideration of projected visitor and shopping trends over the next two decades.

CWaC - Evidence should be utilised to inform the Council’s decision-making with regards to flexible space and meanwhile uses moving forward.

CWaC - Where these vacant spaces are under CWaC control, the Council should consider engaging with the market to bring in occupiers on short-term leases (this can build on recent initiatives using turnover-linked rental agreements) as an opportunity to nurture new sectors and creatives.

CWaC - The Council should actively create additional space and areas within the City Centre to be the focus of particular enterprises in the interests of agglomeration. The Council should decide upon a sector which it wants to attract to the City Centre, seek out occupiers, and create an offer to bring about their relocation to Chester.

CWaC - The City Centre should be an inclusive place to live and visit and to achieve this it is imperative the Council maintains an on-going engagement exercise with its stakeholders. Engaging with stakeholders will need to be an ongoing commitment as the demographics of the City Centre, and by extension the changing needs and demands of its stakeholders, evolve.

CWaC - The Council should utilise its relationship with landlords and occupiers to initiate discussions in respect of meanwhile uses and popup events. This would be significantly assisted by the presence of a new proactive body that engages with landowners, landlords, and occupiers in Chester (discussed at 1.b.) as well as working with destination Chester in engaging with performers and creatives within the city (for example with the recent success of the Place for Arts Chester pop-up units).

CWaC - The high street is evolving at pace and the key element here will be to provide flexible space that is capable of being quickly converted to cater for a range of different uses.

G eneral - Short-term leases could be agreed incorporating turn-over based rental terms to enable small businesses to test products and offers within the city. This would create a real sense of vibrancy and would significantly contribute to the creation of a forwardlooking and authentic offer.

Residential Population

2a. Residential accommodation

CWaC - As an urgent action, all vacant properties across the City should be audited and assessed to understand their potential to deliver residential accommodation.

CWaC - Additional feasibility studies are clearly required to assess whether design and regulatory matters fire regulations can be met within listed buildings and how such regulations could be addressed across various units and multiple ownerships, whilst taking account of other residential amenity requirements (bin storage, deliveries, cycle storage, etc).

CWaC - Increasing residential use in the City Centre should be a strategic priority and inform any update of the One City Plan or re-draft of the Council’s Development Plan

G eneral / CWaC - Affordability is clearly an issue and providing high quality affordable units within the city (specifically associated with regeneration projects around the station) should be considered a priority. Regeneration sites around the City Centre fringe could help to deliver a more affordable proposition.

CWaC - Emerging changes to the planning system should be reviewed and assessed to understand how these could be leveraged to encourage residential development within Chester.

G eneral - Attracting younger people into the Chester (including students) will be instrumental in establishing a longterm sustainable residential population. Providing sufficient amenity for such a population is a key driver for such an ambition (please refer to 2b for further details).

2b. Residential amenity

Delivering a wide range of food beverage convenience shopping and artisan produce within the city represents a significant opportunity to cater for existing and attracting a new residential population.

Utilising Northgate and the market to deliver incubation space to provide this offers is the first step in delivering an authentic offer. However, the Council as an asset owner also has a role to play by providing follow-on space for producers to establish a broad range and offering across the city.

Engagement has already been undertaken with destination Chester to understand the program of events that they are seeking to put forward during 2021 as part of the “inside out“ campaign.

Whilst delays to the easing of lockdown measures may initially slowdown this program of events, the ambitions put forward within the destination Chester manifesto should be applauded and assisted wherever possible.

A City Centre Management role should be created as a priority to deliver the change required to meet modern expectations of City Centres and the demands of those wanting to experience City Centre living. The individual will work with the Council to assist coordinating events, utilising public spaces, licensing, and exercising funding opportunities to deliver a coordinated and comprehensive programme of events throughout the year.

It is important that this happens as the country emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic, as this is a key opportunity to change the way that people interact with the city. If this opportunity is delayed, then it will be too easy for residents and the public to fall back into previous habits and we will miss the opportunity to create a truly exciting program of events throughout the city.

Residential Population continued

2c. Health and wellbeing

Access to open spaces will continue to be critical to the delivery of a comprehensive health and wellbeing offer. Better utilising existing resources such as Grosvenor Park, The River Dee, the meadows and the racecourse, could be considered.

Establishing an authentic health and wellbeing offer across the city will serve to engender a feeling of ownership and proprietorship between local residents in the city whilst also breaking down barriers between residents and some of the cities built heritage which at times feels “offlimits“ to residents of the city.

To coincide with structural changes to the high street and opportunities for change, the Council may want to consider the clustering of health, wellbeing, and beauty enterprises to coincide with emerging healthy living agendas. This would create a destination within a destination and secure the benefits of agglomeration

C ycling and other active transport options should be bolstered within the City.

A comprehensive joined up and easy-toaccess cycle network should be delivered across the city, which should build upon the existing networks that are already in place.

It should be noted that wayfinding for this network should be improved as it is not yet sufficient for mainstream usage.

Colour-coded routes have been used to good effect in other parts of the Country; however, something more self-evident may be appropriate in this instanceestablishing routes such as open “the Chester Zoo route”; “The University Route”, “The River Route” etc. might be more appropriate given the number of visitors coming to the city.

This initiative needs to be linked into the wayfinding and signage/branding strategy for the city to create coherent and legible cycle routes throughout the city.

Opportunities for bike hire should also be explored across the city to create a series of linked spaces where bicycles can be hired and returned. This could be linked into an extension of the Ginger Scooter network that has already been established with good success within the City, catalysing on an existing population embracing the gig-economy and infrastructure to create a more joinedup offer that caters for varying means of active travel.

Work is already underway between the University and the council to work collaboratively to secure joint interests across Chester.

The University should be engaged in a meaningful way and should become involved in the renaissance of the city.

In reality this could mean being a key stakeholder for the One City Plan refresh and sharing its growth plans with the Council to ensure that the regeneration of the City is undertaken with the University’s aspirations in mind.

Opportunities for a City Centre campus should be considered as part of this work. This could be supported by a range of student residential development.

Such a campus could serve to supercharge post-Covid economic recovery of the city whilst driving forward a younger, dynamic demographic within the city over the longer-term.

This would also boost student retention rates for Cheshire West & Chester.

It is critical that housing growth correlates to realistic job growth aspirations. Through the refresh of the One City Plan, the spatial strategy for Chester should ensure that sufficient employment provision is coming forward to accommodate and serve an increased residential population.

The delivery of employment provision should be cognisant of new ways of working and appreciative that traditional employment provision is not universally attractive and may not cater to the needs of Chester’s future labour force. This may include delivering such provision as co-working space and studio space for creatives on flexible, short-term rents. Notwithstanding a need to cater to new ways of working, quality, traditional office space should also be delivered to cater to employers looking to relocate to Chester to take advantage of its growing labour force and revitalised City Centre.

E xploring opportunities to accommodate business ventures and start-ups originating from the University of Chester would be a direct way of cultivating and consolidating relationships with the University and increase Chester’s ability to retain its student population as residents within the City following their studies.

2d. The University 2e. Employment opportunities

Coherent Cultural Offer

3a. Accessibility 3b. Public Spaces/Vacant Properties

An Exhibition Strategy should be be formulated to ensure a coordinated events programme can be delivered throughout the year.

Linked trips will be directly linked to the cities ability to deliver a coherent and joined up series of cultural and visitor attractions.

In reality this means that visitor attractions need to be easy to find and signposted throughout the city. The signposting could be in the form of traditional signage but also in the form of pop-up events and performances which “bleed out” into the City. These could include (inter alia):

Chester zoo

Chester Racecourse

Story House

Chester Visual Arts

Cheshire Ice Cream Farm

The Deva Roman Discovery Centre

The Castle walls, amphitheatre and attractions at the river.

Council owned public space should have a function and be activated. CWaC should formulate a clear policy on the purpose of public space and how it could be used.

Vacant public spaces and properties have a role to play in delivering space for events and performances. Potentially suitable spaces within the City should be audited to understand what is available and how it could be utilised.

A schedule of available spaces should be created to enable potentially interested parties

Areas within the immediate vicinity of attractions should be the focus for intensive supporting uses such as F&B, Associated leisure attractions, tour guiding etc.

This is especially evident in areas around the cathedral and along the River Dee and Castle whereby a lack of supporting visitor and attraction infrastructure detract from the positioning of said attraction and create an uncared-for character around these assets.

The Council should seek to create a role within the organisation, which specifically seeks to act as the centrepoint for this type of activity.

An audit of meeting and conference facilities in Chester City Centre in terms of their capacity, quality, and offering should be undertaken to understand deficiencies and opportunities in the City.

The deficiencies and opportunities identified should feature and be addressed in the refreshed One City Plan. Through the refresh of the One City Plan, guidance could be formulated to encourage leisure facilities such as hotels to offer conference facilities to directly cater to business tourism.

There is the potential to offset changes in high street behaviours and the loss of key retailers such as Debenhams by utilising vacant retail provision in the retail core for business tourism purposes.

The potential to offer packages to organisations which incorporate hotel stays with the City’s tourism offer should be explored to enrich the stay of delegates within the City. This will also encourage greater spend within the City and benefit the City’s food and beverage offer.

3e. Business Tourism

Browns Building

Opportunities for the re-occupation of the former Browns building can be split into short medium and long-term opportunities.

Short-term opportunities will be focused around ensuring that some activity is seen to be taking place at the building. This is imperative as it will be very important to give public and investor confidence that the council are being proactive in responding to high-profile vacancies across the city. This does not have to be the long-term solution however effort should be made to ensure that there is some activity within the building and that this activity assists in driving footfall and supporting the wider proposition within the city centre.

Meanwhile uses should be considered and there are a number of active requirements within the city at present from occupiers, gaming providers as well as the Chester Visual Art requirement which has the potential to drive significant footfall to the asset. This opportunity would require c.25k sq.ft. For a range of

Grosvenor Shopping Centre

arts, creative, display and gallery space as well as a cafe and restaurant, but has the potential to “anchor” the building as well as Grosvenor Shopping Centre.

Frasers - CBRE can broker this discussion and it could work well subject to appropriate commercial terms being agreed. This would work well as a proposition and would require minimal intervention to the building. Such an offer may require the council to take a view in respect of viability and to consider becoming involved in any deal to assist in bringing the right occupier into the building.

The Council could seek to take a more active role within the asset. Direct intervention, such as through facilitating occupation of the building or underwriting space, could enable a range of uses to be accommodated within the premises and accelerate its regeneration.

Grosvenor Shopping Centre was placed into receivership in 2020 and it is understood that the Shopping Centre will be sold in due course.

In the intervening period vacant spaces within the Shopping Centre, could be re-appropriated as meanwhile spaces. The Shopping centre benefits from large covered areas and acts as a thoroughfare between different parts of the city. As such, whilst not fully occupied, it does benefit from good footfall.

In the longer term, opportunities should be considered for the sustainable reuse of the shopping centre. The facility benefits from large areas of space and it is understood that the site is relatively unconstrained from a heritage and archaeology perspective.

The Council should work with the receivers to prepare a briefing note on the potential longer-term development opportunities associated with the site. This could include residential development (various tenures), student residential or leisure development. As the determining authority, the Council has the opportunity to lead on this exercise and to encourage new thinking in respect of the site’s future.

In the event that this cannot be achieved, more traditional opportunities could be considered to capitalise upon emerging sectors (as outlined within Point 6 of the Retail and High Street Slide)

Appendices

Appendix A Strategic Context

CWaC’s development plan comprises the Local Plan (Part One) Strategic Policies (2015) and the Local Part (Part Two) Land Allocations and Detailed Policies (2019).¹ These two documents work together to set the overall vision, strategic objectives, spatial strategy, planning policies, and allocate land for development.

As set out in CWaC’s Local Plan (Part One), Chester is the key economic driver for the borough, acting as sub-regional centre for employment, shopping, leisure, culture, tourism, and other facilities. Development will enhance the city’s role as a sub-regional centre whilst being compatible with the conservation or enhancement of the city centre and the character and setting of the city (Local Plan Policy STRAT 3). Chester is set to accommodate a high proportion of its housing need and 44,000 m2 of high-quality office floorspace adjacent to Chester Railway Station as part of the Chester Business Quarter (see below).

Located within the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Chester is part of an ambitious sub-region seeking to grow into a £50 billion economy by 2040. The LEP have produced a Strategic Economic Plan

to drive the economy forward, capitalising on the sub-region’s unique strengths and opportunities. It is a strategy to support growth and economic development over the next 20+ years, doubling the size of the economy and setting out the key economic, environmental, and social strengths on which that growth will be founded.

In relation to Chester, the Strategic Economic Plan acknowledges that creating an excellent ‘Quality of Place’ is an essential component underpinning economic growth. High quality places, housing, leisure and retail offer and visitor economy are key to attracting and retaining the skilled workers and their families needed to support the sub-region’s businesses. The success of Chester City Centre has therefore wideranging implications for Chester and the wider sub-region.

¹ The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (‘the Act’) establishes the legislative background for town planning in England and Wales. Section 38(6) of the Act requires that proposals are determined in accordance with the Development Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

Appendix B Inward Investment Bodies

Investment can be secured by working with existing investors and companies operating within a particular region or sector, or by seeking new investors whether that be domestic or international. There are a large number of Inward Investment Bodies operating in the UK seeking to harness such investment. In short, such bodies initiate interventions which aim to build and maintain a strong investment promotion service. They facilitate investment by providing information and business support to make investing easier.

Inward Investment Bodies are concerned with a particular geographical area, determined by regional circumstances, and are a key conduit for investment by bringing together diverse partners which all have a vested interest in the fortunes of a region. Partners can include councils, growth hubs, local enterprise partnerships, colleges and universities, and the private sector.

As an example of the work such bodies undertake and how they aim to secure investment, the following Investment Bodies are explored below:

MIDAS

Invest in Bristol and Bath

West Midlands Growth Company

CityCo

Coast to Capital Growth Hub (Brighton)

Make it Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire

Invest Liverpool

Invest in Greater Norwich

MIDAS

MIDAS is wholly owned by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. It is part of The Growth Company, which supports the growth and prosperity of Greater Manchester through the provision of services that will raise Manchester’s profile, attract investment, help generate new business, support existing businesses to grow, and provide individuals with new skills and employment opportunities.

MIDAS offers a free and confidential package of services that are tailored to a companies’ needs. Support is available to both national and international firms of all sizes that are considering or wish to relocate to (or expand in) Greater Manchester, including:

Investment case development including market intelligence and research

Sourcing property solutions

International market support

Advice on recruitment and training

Introductions to appropriate networks, suppliers, agencies and educational establishments

Information on understanding and navigating potential market opportunities

Invest Bristol and Bath

Invest Bristol & Bath is the investment promotion agency for the Bristol and Bath region, part of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, and supported by the region’s four Local Authorities. It supports foreign direct investment, UK national companies, and companies already in the region as they grow and expand. The investment arm offers tailored support to companies interested in relocating and growing in the Bristol and Bath region, including the following services:

Bespoke research and provision of regional economic information to support business planning

Talent support in accessing and recruiting high quality staff

Support in identifying the right property and business location

Advice, support, and assistance for relocating staff

Simplified access to relevant council, regional business services, and suppliers

Introduction to cluster networks, meetups, and event activity in the region

Ongoing support ensuring your business continues to develop and grow

Appendix B

Inward Investment Bodies continued

West Midlands Growth Company

The West Midlands Growth Company is charged with developing an inward investment strategy and delivering inward investment in the West Midlands region. It seeks to support the delivery of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Local Industrial Strategy, working to increase jobs, businesses and productivity. Its partners include local enterprise partnerships, councils, growth hubs, universities, Chambers of Commerce, and the private sector.

The West Midlands Growth Company is owned by the West Midlands Combined Authority and its Constituent Members, with governance that heavily involves the private sector. Its core West Midlands Combined Authority and local authority funding is used to attract significant additional funding from the private sector and other sources, such as future Devolution Deals.

The West Midlands Growth Company has six delivery areas which support the Local Industrial Strategy:

Regional Marketing

Attracting Investment

Account Management

Promoting Tourism

Business Support

Market Intelligence

CityCo

CityCo seeks to support the vibrancy, resilience, and growth of Manchester city centre by bringing businesses together with public agencies. they work in partnership with Manchester City Council, Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Police, Marketing Manchester, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Manchester’s homelessness charity network Street Support, and other statutory bodies.

CityCo represents business interests from all sectors and company sizes. It helps businesses to have their opinion heard, expand activities, and connect with the right people at the right time. CityCo’s networks allow for the sharing of city plans, discussion and actionplanning around developments, business challenges and opportunities. The range of business services offered by CityCo include:

Operational Support help with tackling environmental issues, street cleaning, litter, anti-social behaviour, protests, road closures, rough-sleeping challenges, urban resilience.

Business Crime Reduction Partnership access to security intelligence, day/night radio systems linked to city centre CCTV and business training.

City Forums and Lobbying bringing businesses together to problem-solve and representing corporate interests with public authorities.

Zoom Business Briefings keeping members in-the-loop with city statuses, consultations, strategy conversations and future city planning.

City Intelligence

access to Daily/Weekly/Monthly City Centre

Footfall Trends, Event Calendars and Property Developments Map.

Manchester BID Public Events promotional opportunities via our programme of large-scale events including Chinese New Year and Halloween celebrations.

Coast to Capital Growth Hub

The Coast to Capital Growth Hub provides fully funded advice, support, investment and strategic leadership to help small and medium sized enterprises drive sustainable business success and regional economic growth in West Sussex, Brighton and Hove and East Surrey (Epsom and Ewell, Reigate and Banstead, Tandridge and Mole Valley).

Coast to Capital Growth Hub seeks to: Encourage and enable strategic change; Connect businesses to support programmes, experts, peer business leaders, and funding opportunities; and

Help businesses develop national and international opportunities.

As part of their offering, the Growth Hub can undertake analysis to diagnose key areas of business improvement to help unlock business potential.

The Growth Hub can fund a day of specialist support from its Growth Champions network, a network of consultants that are experts in their respected fields who can provide specialist support for businesses to unlock growth.

The Growth Hub’s Relationship Managers can provide comprehensive business diagnostics through ‘GROWTHmapper’ which includes a set of assessment questions designed to underpin coaching and advice, as well as a digital coaching programme ‘DNAsix’ that can help businesses survive, compete, and thrive in today’s digital marketplace.

The Growth Hub also supports investment enquiries and opportunities in partnership with the Department for International Trade and local partners, helping to identify solutions and support for existing and potential investors including those from overseas.

Make it Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire

The Make it Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Investment Services team provides a tailor-made service for businesses relocating and expanding in the area. Businesses opening in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire can benefit from support to help establish their new operation in the area, as well as having access to on-going support from advisors.

The business support services offered by Make it Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire include:

Identification of suitable sites and premises

Help with site visits and area tours

Advice on grants and incentives

Support in relation to skills, training, salary levels and recruitment costs

Assistance with industry and market research

In addition, Make it Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire supports companies by partnering with Staffordshire University and Keele University to access support for graduate recruitment as well as for developing Research and Development linkages. This includes Knowledge Transfer Partnerships which provides funding for accessing university-based skills and expertise, ranging from product development to business process improvements.

Appendix B

Inward Investment Bodies continued

Invest Liverpool

Invest Liverpool provides information and assistance to facilitate investment in the UK’s Liverpool City Region. The Invest Liverpool team is structured so that each team member is focussed on a sector or industry or specific borough of the Liverpool City Region so that advice and expertise can be tailored to specific business needs.

As part of their business services offer, Invest Liverpool services include:

Dedicated account manager to support business needs

Bespoke research intelligence-gathering on demographics, sectors, and opportunities

Advice on availability and costs of commercial property and soft-landing schemes

Guidance on financial incentives and business support organisations

Introductions to business networks and other business professionals

Connections to research and technology expertise

Assistance on staff recruitment and training

Organising and hosting briefing visits for key staff

Maximising PR associated with your investment

A dedicated aftercare account manager to support businesses once established in Liverpool, linking businesses with public sector support services, assistance with raising finance, and providing bespoke business development services.

Invest in Greater Norwich

Invest in Greater Norwich offers specialist help and advice on business relocation and expansion plans. It seeks to remove barriers for companies looking to invest and grow in the area and seeks to work to develop a package suited to specific business requirements.

Invest in Greater Norwich state that they will work with SMEs, global companies, and consultants to build an investment case, find the ideal commercial property, source the right staff and introduce businesses to commercial networks.

Services offered by Invest in Greater Norwich are confidential and tailored to meet specific needs including:

Free business support

Free business start-up advice service

Free/subsidised business training courses

A dedicated account management service

Free pre-application planning advice (Broadland only)

Discretionary business rates relief for an initial period

Furthermore, Invest in Greater Norwich seek to support businesses through a range of funding options including:

Business Finance Solutions offer New Anglia Capital newanglia.co.uk/new-anglia-capital

Local Infrastructure Fund

www.greaternorwichgrowth.org.uk/delivery/localinfrastructure-fund

Business Growth Hub offer www.newangliagrowthhub.co.uk/LEADER www.norfolklags.co.uk/about

Agri-Tech East www.agritech-east.co.uk

BEE Anglia – Energy Efficiency grants www.beeanglia.org

Appendix C Tourism

Chester is an internationally renowned tourist destination. Its rich history spanning over 2,000 years is apparent throughout the city, from its Roman archaeology to its Cathedral. Local Plan Policy ECON 3 sets out how the expansion of existing tourism assets or the creation of new tourism opportunities will be supported where this would enhance the existing tourism offer, benefit the local economy and be of a suitable scale and type for its location.

In 2018, 14 million tourists visited Chester City. The visitor economy is a key contributor to the economic performance of Chester and wider Cheshire area. The total economic impact of Chester was valued at £0.7billion in 2018, supporting nearly 10,000 full-time equivalent visitor economy jobs.²

The Chester Heritage and Visual Arts Strategy (2017) sets out how in 2014 the city attracted approximately 950,000 staying visits, 128,000 of which were from international visitors. By comparison, Stratford-uponAvon attracted 144,000 international visitors in 2014.

Domestic visitors to Chester are more likely to take a day trip, with overnight staying trips static at 403,000 in the 2012-14 period based on a three-year average.³

This suggests there is potential to grow the number of overnight trips by marketing Chester to domestic visitors as an attractive weekend or overnight destination.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on travel and tourism, with international and domestic travel having been either barred or heavily discouraged at various stages of the pandemic. Although tourism sector is expected to receive some respite in the form of vaccine rollout over 2021 and a focus towards domestic tourism, it is unlikely that international visitor numbers will return to end-2019 levels for some time, placing sustained stress on retailing and the food and beverage sector.⁴

² Chester Data Dashboard – High Street Cell (03/11/2020).

³ Overnight staying trips to Cheshire West and Cheshire, monitored through Visit Britain’s Great Britain Tourist Survey. ⁴ Promis Retail Report, PMA (April 2021).

Appendix D Economy

Chester is the principal economic centre in CWaC, providing 44% of the borough’s total business stock and 46% of employment. Chester is highly service sector focused, with a clustering of banking, financial service, and insurance sector businesses and employment.⁵ Local Plan Policy ECON 1 sets out how the Council will promote competitive town centre environments and bring forward sites to meet a range of town centre uses including commercial, retail, leisure, culture and office uses.

Employment in private sector services accounts for 64% of total employment in Chester, significantly above the Retail PROMIS average. Professional & business services and finance sectors together account for an above average 17.3% of total employment, while retailing and leisure account for 28.9% of total employment, slightly above the Retail PROMIS average. The public sector accounts for 13.3% of total employment in Chester, slightly below the Retail PROMIS average. Major employers include Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire Constabulary, and the University of Chester. The manufacturing sector in Chester accounts for 8% of total employment, around the Retail PROMIS average.⁶

The Employment Land Study Update (2013) states that there is limited land available within Chester for future employment development and a lack of space for large, modern office premises above 1,000m2 floorspace.

Office stock in the City Centre comprises a mix of new build, refurbished and basic specification accommodation. Key office buildings include the modern City Place building adjacent to the Station (in

addition to an owner-occupied Lloyds Banking Group building), the HQ office scheme adjacent to the racecourse and the mixed-use Gorse Stacks scheme. The remainder of City Centre stock ranges in size and specification, comprising a mix of refurbished and basic specification single and multi-let buildings in addition to space above retail accommodation.

Headline office rents within the City Centre as of August 2020 were £19.50 per sq ft. Rental levels for good secondary, secondary, and tertiary space vary subject to size of suite, location, and key attributes. Historically, annual take up figures have fluctuated (dependent on market conditions) but typically average around 100,000 sq ft per annum.

The majority of occupier demand within the market is for sub 2,500 - 5,000 sq ft suites. Larger requirements for the city compete with more established regional locations such as Warrington, the Liverpool City Region, and the wider Cheshire out of town market.

The Chester One City Plan sets out how business investment into the City Centre is low and Chester is failing to compete with other economic centres as a place for business and economic activity. To address this, the Plan identifies the Chester Business Quarter as a location for a mixed-use scheme that will bring future employment activity. Within this area, Chester Central Business District is a major regeneration initiative in the north east of the city, adjacent to the railway station. There is the potential to deliver approximately 44,000m2 of high-quality new office space to drive Chester’s commercial offer and future economic growth.

The Northgate area of the City Centre has also been identified as a key strategic regeneration location. The Northgate redevelopment is a key leisure scheme in the City Centre. Residential accommodation within the Northgate development will be encouraged by the Council in order to create an active and mixed community and to support the leisure and retail uses within the city.

In 2016 Hybrid planning permission was secured (planning reference 16/02282/OUT) for the following development at Northgate:

Phase I of Northgate is now underway. This comprises a series of open streets parades and plazas, which will house:

A six-screen cinema – Picturehouse Cafés, bars and restaurants

A new, indoor market

New parking

⁵ Chester One City Plan 2012-2027.

⁶ Promis Retail Report, PMA (April 2021).

‘… comprehensive mixed-use development comprising; retail stores, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments (Use Classes A1, A2, A3 and A4), offices (Use Class B1), cinema and leisure uses (Use Class D2), 70-120 residential units (Use Class C3), public toilets, shopmobility, a relocated hotel and indoor market with associated new public squares, car and cycle parking, provision for buses and associated highway works and infrastructure, landscaping and public realm works.’

Co-working office spaces

Phase I is due to open in summer 2022. Phase II is currently being considered by the Council and a Development Framework for the later stages of Northgate could be considered in due course.

Appendix E Retail

City centre retail floorspace in Chester is estimated at 1.47 million sq ft, comparable with the Regional Centre average. Given the historic nature of much of the retail core, there is a relative shortage of modern retail units in the city centre with some retailers opting to locate out of town instead.⁷

Chester’s retail core is concentrated along the streets radiating outwards from The Cross, namely Eastgate Street, Northgate Street, Bridge Street, and Watergate Street. Along these main streets are the distinctive two-level timber-framed units The Rows. Traffic is excluded from much of the core area.

The changing fortunes of retail over recent years has been widely documented and the unprecedented circumstances resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic has made the challenges facing retail even more acute.

The closure of non-essential retail stores during lockdowns has put severe pressure on retailers’ revenues and will continue to affect their performance in 2021 and thereafter. For many retailers, this will mean continued pressure on margins, store rationalisation, investment in omni-channel strategies, and supply chain restructuring.

Prime Zone A rents in Chester peaked as early as 1999 when they reached £225 psf, before dropping back to around £200 psf in 2001. Rents then rose until 2009, before falling during the recession. Prime Zone A rents rose to recover much of the lost ground in 2011 and then stabilised until 2017 before falling sharply. The decline in prime rents in the city over 2017-2019 has been greater than average for Regional Centres, suggesting a more acute exposure to the wider challenges facing the UK retail sector.⁸

Prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, market conditions in Chester had continued to be challenging, with corporate failures and store rationalisation programmes affecting several pitches. Agents for Chester have reported a significant fall in prime rents from £205 psf in Zone A in 2017, to £185-£190 psf in Zone A in late 2018, and to £150 psf in Zone A by 2020.⁹

A study into retail rents in Chester by PMA illuminates the difference in desirability and demand in the retail core:

Retail rents at Foregate Street were in the region of £130-£150 psf;

Newgate Row and St Michael’s Row in the Grosvenor Shopping Centre could demand £100 psf and £75-£85 psf respectively;

Retail rents in Northgate Street were around £130 psf;

Rents for units on Bridge Street were seen to be variable, depending upon proximity to The Cross - agents generally consider units at the northern end of this pitch to achieve £60-£70 psf, with rents tailing off to £40 psf towards the junction with Pepper Street;

Evidence for Watergate Street was limited but is understood to be in the region of £65 psf. Rents for The Rows were thought to be generally lower because of their secondary position, raised above the main streets; and

Lettings at The Forum Shopping Centre are usually made on a short term or flexible basis in view of the planned redevelopment of the centre.10

⁷ Promis Retail Report, PMA (April 2021).

Appendix E Retail continued

Total retail sales in the UK increased by a very modest 0.5% pa in 2020, compared with 3.4% growth in 2019 (nominal). This forecast is based on the Spring 2021 Main Scenario and comprises a modest re-bound in total retail sales of 2.8% pa (real) in 2021, and further diversion of retail sales to online.11

Better performing retailers, including those that were able to keep their stores open throughout the UK lockdown periods are expected to show greater resilience in 2021 and the years after. This includes supermarkets, homeware, and DIY retailers.

Retail warehouses have shown to be more resilient throughout the lockdown periods in part because many are anchored by supermarkets or DIY retailers and their extensive car parking helped footfall recover quicker compared to other retail provision.

Super-regional and major centres are well placed to weather the disruption occurring in retail. Retail stores in these major centres, which can attract people from a wide geography, are able to benefit from a consumer desire for a more holistic shopping experience whereby a greater emphasis is placed on the supplementing of retail provision with an entertainment and food and beverage offer- in short, a more experiential offer.

Although some retail formats have proved resilient, the future of retail is uncertain, but within this uncertainty there are opportunities. Excess retail space coupled with falling values will create opportunities in the medium and long term for assets to be repositioned to include alternative uses. Shopping centre and high street owners are expected to implement innovative ways of using vacant space, like pop-up retail, or co-working space which could provide a temporary solution to filling vacant units whilst also diversifying the retail offer.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also been seen to accelerate the changing behaviours that were already manifesting such as a tendency to shop online. There has been a rise in the number of retailers placing a greater emphasis on ecommerce, with retailers investing in their online platforms and generating a larger proportion of their sales online. CBRE forecasts that online penetration will reach 26% in 2021 and 30% in 2025.

Figure 1 below sets out all retail nominal rental growth, retail sale growth, and online penetration growth through to 2025. It suggests that whilst retail sales growth is forecast to be flat over the coming years, ecommerce is expected to continue its upward growth trajectory.

1: Chester Retail Core Vacancy Rates (source: CWaC Annual Monitoring Report 2020)

CHART

Chester is an established regional retail shopping destination with a catchment area which includes Cheshire, the Wirral, and parts of Merseyside and North Wales. It is categorised as a Regional Centre by PMA on the basis of volume and quality of its retail offer.12 This catchment is supplemented by strong annual tourist visitor numbers. The retail offer within the city has developed over the past 20 years, in part because of changing market conditions and the development of the out of town retail offer both at Sealand Road and the wider locality such as Cheshire Oaks and Broughton.

Local Plan Policy ECON 2 states that retail development must be focused in the City Centre to support its subregional role as a shopping, leisure, and international tourism destination. The Council are clear that the steady loss of non-food retail provision from the City Centre is a major concern which if unchecked will damage the long-term health of the City Centre. The Council attributes Chester’s falling retail performance to the difficulties of delivering a major City Centre development in a historic setting combined with increased competition from other centres.13

Chart 1 above, which details the vacancy rate in Chester’s retail core, sheds additional light on the challenging environment facing Chester. The chart shows that since 2010 the vacancy rate in Chester has almost doubled, despite a marked improvement in 2017. Between 2017 and 2019 vacancy rates deteriorated by 6.6%.

It should be noted that Chart 1 relates to all provision within the retail core and is thus reflective of the changing fortunes of the City Centre generally rather than just its retail offer.

Liverpool is Chester’s main competitor, following the opening of Liverpool One in 2008. The centre provides 1.4 million sq ft of retail floorspace, anchored by Debenhams and John Lewis stores. The centre provides 1.4 million sq ft of retail floorspace, anchored by John Lewis. Liverpool is only a 45 minute journey from Chester via Merseyrail’s Wirral line.14

Another important source of competition to Chester is Intu Trafford Centre. This 1.6 million sq ft regional shopping centre lies around 40 minutes’ drive northeast of Chester. The scheme has an enviable line up of anchors with Selfridges, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer. In addition, there is also a wide range of mass market multiples and some quality retailers, which are likely to attract shoppers from a wide area, including Chester.15

To the north of Chester at Little Stanney is Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet. This 460,000 sq ft scheme - one of the largest outlet centres in the country - has a very strong tenant line-up including a good range of upper middle/quality retailers such as All Saints, Crew, Hobbs, Barbour, Burberry, Gap Outlet, Gant and Diesel. Marks & Spencer opened a new 148,000 sq ft flagship store on a neighbouring site in 2012.16

12 Promis Retail Report, PMA (April 2021).

13Local Plan (Part One) paragraph 6.12.

14 Promis Retail Report, PMA (April 2021).

15 Ibid

FIGURE 1: All retail nominal rental growth, retail sale growth, and online penetration growth

Appendix F Beauty Concessions

Beauty operators who operate within retailers such as Boots, Debenhams, House of Fraser, and Harvey Nichols do so on a concession basis. In essence, beauty operators rent retail space within larger retailers. Rental agreements are generally fluid and can be from short-term monthly contracts to more long-term agreements with lease breaks. The capital expenditure for beauty concessions is generally low and the revenue received by beauty concessions can be significant. Usually such beauty operators will employ their own staff who have knowledge of their brand and a particular expertise. However, sometimes beauty concessions stands are staffed directly by employees of the larger retailer.

Most beauty concessions operators do not have their own standalone stores and do not have a lot of retail experience. It is therefore difficult to engage with beauty brands and secure their tenancy without a larger retailer acting as an anchor tenant. However, there are some beauty operators such as Mac & Estee Lauder with a strong enough brand to be able to operate out of their own standalone store.

Health and beauty has been one of the most resilient categories in retail in recent years and is expected to return to growth as the high street recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic. Physical retail is also the most popular channel for health & beauty purchases with in-store advice from a brand representative an integral part of a brands offer. Spend per head in the health and beauty category is highest amongst the 25 – 44-year-old age group, making this demographic a key target for a number of brands.17

Beauty retailers have also been seen to adapt adroitly to the Covid-19 pandemic in response to lockdown restrictions by offering online consultations. Credo Beauty and Deciem, for example, have partnered with live chat platform Hero to facilitate live virtual appointments for customers, enabling employees to deliver expert advice online. Online sales are predicted to account for over 23% of beauty and personal care spend by the end of 2021.18

However, notwithstanding the rise in online commerce, the physical shopping experience continues to be key to the health and beauty sector, as seen with NEXT and Harrods investing in the beauty side of its business.

In 2020, NEXT launched a new beauty concept ‘The Beauty Hall’ in five Hammerson destinations following the closure of Debenhams, with the aim of creating a premium retail environment for beauty to complement its beauty business. The Beauty Hall locations are Bullring & Grand Central Birmingham, The Oracle Reading, Highcross Leicester, Silverburn Glasgow, and Centrale in Croydon.

Harrods has opened two ‘H Beauty’ specialist stores in Essex and Milton Keynes. The stores stock over 90 brands across makeup, skincare, and fragrances, and feature masterclass and treatment zones and a champagne bar. The stores offer a new beauty experience and seek to make the Harrods experience accessible to a broader audience and demographic.

Beauty concessions have been a mainstay for high street department stores for decades. However, with the rise in e-commerce, stores which are out of touch with consumers needs and a desire for an all-encompassing shopping experience may be left behind. It may not be enough to simply offer a product. Stores that focus on human connections and memorable, immersive experiences such as those offered by NEXT and Harrods will be better placed to embrace changing consumer habits.

17 Global Data, The UK Health & Beauty Market 2018 – 2023 Report pg.64

18 https://econsultancy.com/covid-19impact-on-beauty-retail-experience/

Appendix G Esports

Esports (electronic sports) involves organised, structured, and competitive playing of video games, often in an online or physical spectator space. Esports have become one of the most rapidly growing forms of new media driven by the growing provenance of online games and online broadcasting technologies

Ukie, the trade body for the UK games and interactive entertainment industry, reports that the UK Esports sector generated £111.5million in Gross Value Added in 2019, supporting 1,200 jobs. The UK Esports sector has grown at an annual average rate of 8.5% between 2016 and 2019 and represents just under 8% of the global market. By 2023, the UK gaming sector is expected to reach £10bn and employ 80,000 people.

Whilst traditional entertainment industries faced significant uncertainty during the Covid-19 pandemic, the digital and gaming sector bucked the trend and experienced high levels of growth. At the end of Q1 2020, digital downloading increased by 67% weekon-week, while physical game sales increased by 218%. Considering the blanket lockdown many parts of the world have experienced, it is hardly surprising that the digital and gaming sector which people can access from the safety of their own homes has been a beneficiary of the pandemic, particular as an important facet of the gaming industry in the internet world is communication and being able to connect with likeminded people all over the world.

The growth in Esports can be attributed to the growth and popularity of social media platforms such as Twitch which enables users to broadcast themselves gaming. A wide-ranging community has sprung up around gaming and growing audiences generate advertising and sponsorship revenue which has allowed many gamers to go professional and earn a living by playing and streaming games.

Driven by games like Fortnite, which has 250 million registered users, online gaming participations are rising year on year. Over the last 5 years, online gamers have increased in number from 1.5 billion to 2.5 billion. Richard Blevins, known in the online community as ‘Ninja’, is one such Fortnite gamer. Blevins has over 24 million subscribers on YouTube, and his YouTube channel has been viewed collectively over 2 billion times. The 2019 Fortnite World Cup carried a $30 million prize pool and took place at New York’s Arthur Ashe Stadium. An estimated 2.3 million viewers watched the final on Twitch and YouTube.

The growth in Esports has implications for real estate, with a growing number of companies requiring an increasing amount of office floorspace. More than this, Esports is finding its feet on the high street and contributing to the re-vitalisation of centres, and larger scale venues and tournaments will require food and beverage and leisure facilities just as traditional music or sporting events do.

As with traditional major sporting tournaments, Esports can attract a significant volume of spectators from other regions and countries who may only be visiting that destination because of their interest in esports. There were an estimated 42,000 attendees to live esports events in the UK in 2019. Esport events in the UK include:

ESL UK

ESL UK was established in Leicester in 2012. It runs major esports events such as ESL One Birmingham that attract tens of thousands of attendees and millions of viewers online, as well as providing production services to brands. ESL UK is the lead partner in the Weavr consortium, backed by the Government's Audience of the Future Challenge Fund. The consortium is building a technology platform to revolutionise the viewing experience for both esports and traditional sports.

Gfinity

Gfinity is a London-based esports solutions company that exports services around the globe. Gfinity opened the UK's first dedicated esports arena in 2015 in partnership with Vue. Gfinity has operated events ranging from the ePremier League through to F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series.

Epic.LAN

Epic.LAN is a traditional UK based Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) event organiser. With a history spanning more than a decade, it is a mainstay of the UK's grassroots esports scene. Epic.LAN's events have grown, and now host hundreds of attendees three times a year. These events boost local economies, with impacts on hotels and restaurants.

The interactive and versatile nature of the industry means that a rise in the number of video arcades, concept stores, and Esports arenas. Virtual reality arcades, like X-GENVR’s offer in Stockport’s Merseyway Shopping Centre, offer a range of virtual reality games and experiences where users can enjoy the latest virtual reality experiences or hire private rooms to share experiences whilst friends / family can use the room to view.

Wanyoo, established in 1998, is the world’s largest esports studio chain. It operates more than 1,000 stores in over 50 cities and has over 10 million members worldwide. Wanyoo is most popular in China but it also has branches in America, Singapore, Australia, the UK and Canada. The company serves approximately 30 million people per year. Wanyoo’s presence in the UK at present is limited to London and Coventry but its global success is a testament to the thriving gaming industry and a clear sign of the industry’s potential.

Wanyoo, and other comparable operators such as Platform, have embraced the value of placemaking and boast an all-round entertainment offer with banks of PCs ready to be played, giant 120 inch projectors and viewing areas for esports tournaments, private rooms to share gaming experiences with friends, along with a food and beverage provision.

The potential for Esports to make significant contributions to local economies is clear, particularly as a relatively emerging industry it is subject to less direct competition. With its holistic entertainment offer and emphasis on community, it has the potential to be an important player on the UK high street and rival other more traditional entertainment provision.

Appendix H Housing

Chester has higher than average house prices and prices have continued to increase within and in close proximity to the City Centre. There remains a strong market appetite for housing in the heart of Chester but limited opportunity. As a result, there is little affordability for first-time buyers, families, and low-income households wishing to reside in the City Centre. The limited number of households living in the centre results in there being little local ‘life’ in the city outside of business and retail hours.19

The level of owner occupation decreased slightly from 69% to 65% across the PROMIS centres between 2001 and 2011 reflecting an increasing trend towards private renting particularly in the aftermath of the recession. The level of owner occupation in Chester is significantly above average.20

The City Centre offers an exciting and sustainable location for new homes, in close proximity to employment opportunities, shops and services, which reduce the need for residents to travel. Increasing the population of the City Centre will make the city more vibrant and alive and, in turn, will support Chester’s economic growth. The Council set out in its One City Plan how it aims to deliver a supply of new homes to meet the needs and demands of existing and future residents and families, with a focus on high quality, higher density, low carbon, and well-designed living environments. 21

Specific opportunities for new homes should be explored and supported including city living within the underutilised upper storeys of the Rows, waterside living at Tower Wharf and Crane Wharf, as well as mixed density housing around Commonhall Street in the heart of the historic centre. Where possible housing provision should address the citywide shortage of family homes.

Chester is set to accommodate 5,200 residential units between 2015-2030. Many of these dwellings are to be delivered outside of the City Centre, with 1,300 residential units being brought forward at Land at Wrexham Road (Local Plan (Part One) Policy STRAT 3). The Council’s Annual Monitoring Report 2020 states that 73% of these dwellings have already been delivered (3,817 units).

In the justification text to Local Plan (Part Two) Policy DM 20, the Council state that there is an identified need for 2 and 3-bed dwellings in the Borough.

The Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) (2013) assesses the housing market, need, and requirements in CWaC. A number of datasets included in the SHMA have been formulated by spatial zones. Chester City Centre is included in the Chester Urban Area as denoted at Figure 1.1 below. Although Chester Urban Area data does not directly correspond to the City Centre, it is useful in setting out the housing market which will have a direct bearing on the context and performance of the housing market in the City Centre.

In addition, notwithstanding the usefulness of Chester Urban Area data, the household survey which informed the SHMA sets out how CWaC is an appropriate geography for planning purposes over which to assess and meet housing requirements. 39,458 households had moved home between 2008-2013, of which 65.7% of households originated from within CWaC. Of the households that intend to move over the next five years, over 70% intend to remain in CWaC. Around 28,800 households plan to move in the next five years, with 27.5% of those stating Chester City and its suburbs as their primary destination choice.

Across CWaC, analysis of general market aspirations and expectations suggests that 75.2% of households looking to move would like to move to a house (50.8% would like to move to a detached house), 6.6% would like to move to a flat, and 18.1% to a bungalow. In terms of property size, a higher proportion of households would like a property with four or more bedrooms (31.3%).

In terms of the Chester housing market, the high cost of City Centre was identified as a limiting factor. The Chester market was assessed by one agent as split 70-30 between locals and newcomers. The impact of student demand should also not be underestimated within the centre.22

19 Chester One City Plan p15

20 Promis Retail Report, PMA (April 2021).

21 Chester One City Plan p32

FIGURE 1.1: Chester Urban Area

22 Interviews were carried out with 12 Estate Agents operating across Cheshire West and Chester during April 2012 as part of the 2012 SHMA update.

Appendix H Housing continued

The vast majority of properties in the Chester Urban Area are owner occupied at 62.7%, with private rented accommodation accounting for 19.3% of dwellings, as set out at Table 1.4 below. Semi-detached properties make up 29% of the area’s housing stock and flats account for 23.6%. Terrace, semi-detached, and detached houses make up 67.4% of housing stock in the Chester Urban Area, as detailed at Table 1.5 below.

In terms of residential values, properties in Chester had an overall average price of £247,612 across all property type over the last year. The majority of house types in Chester between 2019-2020 were semi-detached properties which sold for an average price of £239,318. Terraced properties sold for an average of £197,176, with detached properties averaging £362,530. There is a significant premium (c. 20%) when compared to existing second-hand stock (£285 vs. £235). Overall, sold prices in Chester between 2019-2020 were 5% up on the previous year and 3% up on the 2017 peak of £240,385.23

While the unprecedented response to the Covid-19 pandemic initially had a marked impact on housing transaction volumes, pent up demand following the first national lockdown in spring 2020 saw volumes recover quickly, whilst average house prices have typically increased owing to lowered interest rates and a temporary reduction in the rate of stamp duty, as well as other government initiatives.

As working from home has become commonplace, with many employers introducing formal flexible working policies expected to last beyond the scope of Covid-19 restrictions, many homeowners and first time buyers have re-evaluated their living requirements, with many favouring larger homes with outside space in rural and suburban locations. These factors have contributed to some of the highest price increases for a number of years. Looking ahead, the winding down of the stamp duty holiday in late 2021 and affordability concerns in some locations may provide a break for further house price growth.24

FIGURE 1.4: Tenure in the Chester Urban Area

FIGURE 1.5: Total Dwelling Stock in Chester Urban Area

23 Source: Rightmove (this data covers Chester as a whole as opposed to being broken down by postcode districts).

24 Promis Retail Report, PMA (April 2021).

Appendix I Transport

Car Parking

Of the 4,968 publicly available parking spaces in Chester, around 40% are publicly owned and the remaining 60% are privately owned. This indicates that there is a large amount of parking space in Chester but a relatively small amount under the control of the Council against other comparator Local Authorities. This increases the importance of parking controls.

Transport and Retail

The Chester Transport Strategy and Vision Baseline Report (2013) outlines the following key transport related challenges facing the retail sector in the Chester:

The inner ring road (IRR) surrounds the historic city core, with the pedestrian zone and adjacent restricted movement streets contained within this collar. Northgate Street / Princess Street and Frodsham / Foregate Street are deemed ‘city distributor’ links reflecting their importance both in terms of buses and access for disabled persons and the Grosvenor Hotel.

At the southern section of the City Centre, along the ‘Pepper Street’ corridor, the volume of traffic inhibits people moving between the city centre and the Amphitheatre, Grosvenor Park, St John’s Church and River Dee.

Analysis of traffic flows from a number of different link counts on key radial routes provides an indication of the relative pressures on the IRR junctions around Chester City Centre:

During the AM peak, 7,885 vehicles arrive in the inbound direction, the most heavily used of the key radial routes is the A483 Grosvenor Road (20% of the total) which enters the city via a historic bridge (with only one traffic lane in each direction). This is followed by the A51 Tarvin Road (16%), the A56 Hoole Road (14%), and the A5115 Christleton Road (11%). In terms of the 6 main arrival points at the IRR, the northern entry point of Liverpool and Parkgate Roads, and the eastern corridor through Boughton are busiest accommodating 27% of inbound traffic each. The route from Handbridge is the least used which is understandable due to the narrow single

file bridge. In the outbound direction with 7,044 trips, similar results are observed, although in this case, the busiest radial route is the A51 Tarvin Road (18% of outbound traffic), perhaps explaining why this area has been classified as an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).

During the PM peak in which 7,050 trips are observed, the busiest inbound route is again the A483 (17%), with the A51 (16%), and the A56 (14%) close behind. In the outbound direction, of the 7,921 outbound trips made, 20% are again via the A483, with 15% along the A51 and 12% along the A56. In terms of the exit points from the IRR, the busiest is the northern arm carrying 33% of traffic, with the eastern Boughton corridor carrying the next highest amount (24% of the total).

In summary, the Fountains Roundabout at the northern radial arm is the most heavily used, followed by the Barrs Roundabout and the Grosvenor Roundabout. In contrast, the Hoole Way Roundabout is less busy, accommodating only between 12 and 14% of arrivals/departures from the city centre.

A week long desktop survey monitoring the hourly occupancy level of key car parks in the city centre undertaken as part of the Transport Strategy 2013 concluded that, at its busiest period on Saturday afternoon, car parks were only 75% occupied and that there is consequently significant spare capacity in available parking stock around the city. This indicates that levels of supply are adequate in Chester, however there may be scope for a rationalisation of space to reduce the overall number of facilities.

Pedestrian routes between the city centre and the car parks vary hugely in distance and quality. The need to cross the IRR often necessitates the use of inconvenient crossing points or unpleasant subways. Frodsham Street is also a key route but suffers from conflict between pedestrians and heavy trafficking, particularly buses.

On-street parking in Chester City Centre is limited and, in comparison with cities such as York, does not include any chargeable component.

Bus and Coach Network

Integration between City Centre termini is generally poor. Many routes do not integrate well with the rail station necessitating the use of the City Rail Link bus. Of the coach pick-up and drop-off points, the most heavily used are adjacent to the Theatre, and point H on St. Martin’s Way in a lay-by adjacent to the junction with Watergate Street. The former of these is not considered preferable due to the limited available space and the impact that these vehicles have on other traffic and pedestrians in that area.

The lay-by adjacent to Watergate Street is a popular set-down point, however, and is useful for easy access to Little Roodee car park following or prior to a pickup / drop-off. The stop outside Chester Visitors Centre on Union Street is also well-used, however this stop is currently rather peripheral and not ideal for providing access to the retail core.

Growth in the City Centre evening economy and wider changes in the nature of the retail sector, which is becoming more experiential, requires a review of the frequency and coverage of evening and weekend passenger transport provision.

Growth in e-commerce / home delivery may reduce pressure on access and servicing requirements in the City Centre.

Wider range of retail outlets (e.g. smaller convenience stores such as Sainsbury’s Local and larger out-of-town stores).

Recommended Interventions

The Chester Transport Strategy Phase One Recommendation Report (2014) sets out a range of interventions aimed to improve access to and movement around Chester City Centre including:

Extend the city’s core pedestrianised area to include Northgate Street, St. Werburgh Street and Hunter Street during the core hours of 10.30 and 16.30.

Improve the overall public realm and attractiveness of Northgate Street, Town Hall Square and part of Hunter Street (adjacent to the Theatre), St. Werburgh Street, Eastgate Street and St. John Street including the re-location of current onstreet parking provision for blue badge holders.

Establish agreements to permit limited vehicle access to the new pedestrianised area during core hours to maintain essential access requirements for residents, the Cathedral, central hotels and others as appropriate, and identify how this access will be controlled and managed.

Review options to provide a shared-space environment along Pepper Street.

Introduce a shared-space environment along Frodsham Street to provide an improved pedestrian environment linking the planned new bus interchange with other parts of the city centre.

Relocate and accommodate existing on- street blue badge parking provision from Northgate Street, St. Werburgh Street, Eastgate Street and St. John Street to other central car parks with a particular focus on the use of the Kaleyards car park and existing Shopmobility centre.

Appendix J The Future of Car Parking

The Issue

The growth of car ownership has exceeded what many traditional urban centres can easily accommodate. This dynamic has resulted in congestion on roads and the loss of development land in favour of car parking spaces.

Research indicates that more than 1 million barrels of oil is consumed every day in the search for parking spaces,25 and more than 44% of drivers find parking a stressful experience. Furthermore, the average driver spends 4 days every year looking for spaces to park.26

However, town centres today are exposed to intense competition by rival centres, out-of-town destinations, and online shopping and so must do what they can to ensure they remain accessible, and therefore, rather than moving away from car parking, centres must look to creative means of accommodating car parking.

Chester

As set out in the Chester One City Plan, Chester’s car parks are ‘scattered’ across the city centre.27 Traffic is generated from drivers trying to find car parking spaces, despite electronic car park capacity signs assisting in the choice of destination. Overall, the quality of parking is poor and is not well located at the main entrance ‘gateways’ to enable efficient access for users into the city centre on foot. Most car parks are surface level which is an inefficient use of land, or multi storey that are dated in design and functionality. The limited non-retail offer of the city centre and the modest night-time economy means that car parks are often quiet outside of shopping hours.

However, notwithstanding the challenge Chester faces with respect to car parking, its Park and Ride system is well used which reduces car-borne traffic flows into the city centre. The success of the Park and Ride system is a testament to how convenient, low-cost, and accessible parking provision is a popular choice among drivers.

Of the 4,968 publicly available parking spaces in Chester, around 40% are publicly owned and the remaining 60% are privately owned. This indicates that there is a large amount of parking space in Chester but a relatively small amount under the control of the Council against other comparator Local Authorities. This increases the importance of parking controls.

A week long desktop survey monitoring the hourly occupancy level of key car parks in the city centre undertaken as part of the Transport Strategy 2013 concluded that, at its busiest period on Saturday afternoon, car parks were only 75% occupied and that there is consequently significant spare capacity in available parking stock around the city. This indicates that levels of supply are adequate in Chester and

there may be scope for a rationalisation of space to reduce the overall number of facilities.

Pedestrian routes between the city centre and the car parks vary hugely in distance and quality. The need to cross the IRR often necessitates the use of inconvenient crossing points or unpleasant subways. Frodsham Street is also a key route but suffers from conflict between pedestrians and heavy trafficking, particularly buses.

On-street parking in Chester City Centre is limited and, in comparison with cities such as York, does not include any chargeable component.

Local Plan (Part One) policy STRAT 10 sets out the key priorities and opportunities in relation to transport and highlights the importance of balancing the transport system in favour of sustainable modes. It supports the overall strategy of the Local Plan of reducing the need to travel by locating development in the most sustainable locations. However, it is recognised that the private car will remain the dominant form of transport for the foreseeable future, and as such, improvements to the highway network and parking provision will be needed.

Smart Parking Solutions

The implementation of parking solutions is not new with many centres having long been challenged by the need to provide car parking provision. However, existing and emerging smart parking solutions using advanced technology is radically changing the way parking solutions are being formulated. Set out below are a range of smart parking solutions which provide an indication of what parking solutions could be open to Chester and how these could be brought about with the use of technology.

Automated valet parking robots

Installed at the Lyon-Saint Exupery Airport in 2018, passengers book a parking space on the airport website and then drop their vehicles off in a dedicated cabin. The valet robot then picks up the vehicle and parks it in a secure parking location. By eliminating the need for spaces between cars that is necessary with human parking, the robot can more efficiently manage parking spaces.28

Car parking lifts

Mechanical lifts stack vehicles in the available overhead space, enabling use of volume instead of space as is done with traditional parking systems. This ensures that more vehicles can occupy the exact same parking space and these can be stacked two, or even up to three, at a time.29

Smart parking sensors

Sensors communicate in real time with a ParkingRouting-Information-System (PRIS) to guide drivers to available parking spaces. For example, Parkeagle’s sensors are able to count the vehicles at a large parking facility and determining which parking spaces are available. It then communicates this information to the ParkSmart app in real-time.

Pollution based parking fees

In London, RingGo’s Emissions Based Parking product targets high polluting transport with higher charges while rewarding drivers of low emission vehicles with lower tariffs. The initiative aims to incentivise motorists to make more environmentally friendly choices and improve air quality across the Square Mile by reducing nitrogen oxides and harmful particulates.30

Length based parking fees

The system introduces a democratic measure to make drivers pay for how much space they are using, and not just how long they are using it. This way, people have incentives to invest in smaller cars, just as pollution based parking incentivizes cleaner vehicles.

Wireless charging the wireless charging solution usually referred to as wireless level 2 charging utilizes 240-volt outlets that can be placed anywhere. The outlet is connected to a charging pad that sits beneath the vehicle and once in place, the vehicle charges itself.31 The benefit of this solution is that it removes the need for electric cables.

25 www.csmonitor.com/Environment/EnergyVoices/2013/1030/How-smart-parking-couldsave-a-million-barrels-of-oil-every-day

26 www.parking-mobility.org/2018/09/25/ smart-parking-transforming-the-experience-ofparking/

27 Chester One City Plan 2012-2027

28 store.lyonaeroports.com/offres-parkings/ parking-automatique

29 www.parkingeagle.com

30 news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-londoncorporation-tackles-air-pollution-with-londonsfirst-environmentally-friendly-parking-tariff/

31 www.pluglesspower.com/learn/ev-charginglogistical-pains-go-wireless

Appendix J The Future of Car Parking continued

Parking Solutions UK Case Studies

The challenges Chester faces with regards to car parking is one shared by many locations across the UK. A review has been undertaken of Manchester, Colchester, and Nottingham to identify what car parking solutions have been implemented elsewhere in the UK. The review suggests there are a range of options available to Chester to tackle congestion and car parking. However, it is important to recognise that success in replicating parking solutions will not automatically mean the creation of a successful parking policy. While some solutions could be universally applicable, others might only be adequate in specific locations where the geography and dynamics of the location suit.parking, centres must look to creative means of accommodating car parking and the dynamics of the location.

MANCHESTER

In Manchester, a new ‘Mobility Hub’ concept is emerging to provide sustainable transport choices, smart logistics, and other shared neighbourhood services.32 The Hub, which will be owned by Manchester City Council, is proposed on Poland Street, Manchester within the Ancoats Neighbourhood Development Framework (NDF), and will include the following features:

A delivery Hub providing logistic requirements for the proposed 1,500 new homes in the Poland Street Zone of the Ancoats NDF. As part of this service there will be a last-mile delivery function where parcels will be transferred from the Hub to individual apartments by e-cargo bike or electric vehicle.

221 sq. m. of commercial floorspace suitable for a restaurant or café providing valuable amenity for the neighbourhood.

Secure cycle store for 150 bikes and dedicated cycle lockers and changing facilities for members. Additionally, the Proposed Development will host a node of the Transport for Greater Manchester citywide bike hire scheme when it comes forward.

408 car parking spaces including 25% electric vehicle (EV) charging provision with infrastructure in place to allow growth in line with demand up to 100% provision.

Car club and car share facilities to allow local residents to access a car as required from a central fleet of vehicles which will be located within the Mobility Hub.

Rooftop photovoltaic (PV) panels will provide power generated by renewable energy. This power will be used to directly support rapid EV charging points.

The Mobility Hub consolidates parking supply within the Poland Street Zone into a single area removing residential traffic from the wider network of streets. It will potentially assist with the removal of vehicle trips from the network on the edge of the Manchester City Centre. Given its central location in relation to a range of sustainable modes of travel, the Mobility Hub provides an opportunity for commuters and visitors to continue the remainder of their journey via cycling or public transport.

Crucially, The Mobility Hub provides an opportunity to remove sporadic deliveries throughout the day to be consolidated into one area whilst the last section of the journey is made by cargo bikes or smaller electric vehicles. This is a vastly improved situation to existing where multiple individual couriers have to deliver to each individual development, often required to park on pavements to gain access. This creates a poor-quality street environment and also may cause concern about restricting inclusive access across the neighbourhood, especially for disabled people or children in buggies.

COLCHESTER

A thorough review of parking was undertaken looking at pricing, statistics, the market and nearby locations. Within this review, Colchester identified four key groups for whom the parking offer could be constructed around:

Commuters; Shoppers; Lifestyle/leisure users; and Weekend visitors/tourists.

The Council broke away from the traditional notion of ‘the more you pay, the longer you get’ which places time restrictions on motorists, cutting dwell time and enjoyment, and instead offered specific packages which met the needs of the motorists and reduced congestion. This required a change in the payment machines, clear signage, good communication and engaging branding. The following four distinctive offers were constructed around the four groups identified:

Work (special offer for all day parking for those arriving before 8am);

Shop (special offer for 4 hours parking for those arriving after 10am);

Play (special offer for 4 hours parking for those arriving after 3pm); and

Relax (weekend ticket valid at multiple car parks).

This offered simplicity for drivers who could more easily identify a pricing tariff that was appropriate for them. It also incentivised commuters to avoid driving during the morning peak period, reducing congestion on the roads.

NOTTINGHAM

To help mitigate the problem of congestion in Nottingham, prices are staggered with the highest parking costs assigned to the central area, whilst more peripheral areas have cheaper (or free) car parking provision.

In addition, Nottingham operates a Work Place Parking Levy, in which major employers pay an annual fee for private non-residential parking. The levy was also introduced to combat the increasing congestion of which 70% was estimated to be caused by commuters. The Work Place Parking Levy is a licensing scheme in which major businesses pay for their staff and visitors to park. The decision on whether to pass these costs on or subsidise motorists then rests with the business.

32 pa.manchester.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.

do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=QU4SGNBCHQX00

Appendix K Air Quality

Air quality assessment monitoring undertaken in 2014 indicated that 12 sites outside of the former Broughton Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) exceeded the annual mean Air Quality Strategy objective for NO2 in Chester. Dispersion modelling detailed assessment of the roads surrounding the City Centre was subsequently undertaken in 2016.

The area was modelled using the advanced atmospheric dispersion model ADMS-Roads (Version 4.0), with annual mean NO2 concentration output. The model suggests that the 40μg/m3 annual mean AQS objective is exceeded at a total of sixteen locations outside of the Broughton AQMA.

It can be concluded that the former Boughton AQMA did not cover all areas of exceedance within Chester City Centre and as such the AQMA was extended to incorporate the whole of Chester City Centre.

With respect to NOx, targeted intervention and local policy has the potential to have a significant influence on local NOx concentrations, with local road sources accounting for 59.0% of average NOx concentrations, and local background the remaining 30.7%.

For NOx and NO2, vehicle emissions represent the largest proportion of total concentrations at locations with NO2 concentrations greater than 40μg/m3, at 67.8% and 56.4% respectively. Considering road traffic only, cars represent the largest contribution for a specific vehicle type, at 32.8% of total vehicle emissions at locations where NO2 concentrations exceed the annual mean objective.

In summary, there are a number of areas in the settlement area that are affected by air quality issues. Chester has a designated city-wide AQMA that covers the City Centre and areas leading out of the city along Boughton and Liverpool Road. The air quality issues are a result of traffic / congestion along these routes. The Air Quality issue clearly highlights the need to reduce traffic flows into and out of the city centre and makes the case for projects which promote more sustainable modes of travel and bring about mode shift to walking cycling and public transport.

To protect future occupiers and reduce exposure to air pollution, development proposals located within an AQMA should include measures to mitigate the impact of poor air quality, where appropriate. Examples include:

On-site provision of electric vehicle charging infrastructure

Avoiding the creation of new “street canyon”, or building configurations that inhibit effective pollution dispersion;

Locating habitable rooms away from busy roads, or directing combustion generated pollutants through well sited vents of chimney stacks; and

Increasing the distance between the development façade and the pollution source.

Appendix L Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment

Watergate Street

Watergate Street is located within the Chester Characterisation Study ‘Central Area’. It is part of a key intersection of streets around The Cross, a pedestrian zone at the heart of the City Centre. There are a range of buildings of different styles on Watergate Street. The Row is continuous on the south side but is truncated to the north at 42 Watergate Street. Many of the buildings along Watergate Street are Listed, 7 of which are Grade II*.

The street is orientated in an east-west direction. To the west ground levels fall away towards the Old Port. The street is bounded to the west by the A548 dual carriageway. Looking west from The Cross, views down Watergate Street are slightly obscured by the building line of 11-17 Watergate Street, which protrudes forward of neighbouring buildings. The narrow street, particular at nos. 11-17 provides a strong sense of enclosure.

The north side of Watergate Street is designated Primary Shopping Frontage and the south side is designated Secondary Shopping Frontage in the Council’s adopted Local Plan proposals map.

Retail is the predominant use with 26% of units occupied by retailers. However, cafe, restaurant, and drinking establishments combine to comprise 35% of provision. The street can therefore be characterised by a range of uses, with its food and beverage offering a defining characteristic.

TABLE 1: Watergate Street

The figures below denote the location of the vacant units at Watergate Street. Figure 1 relates to the ground floor units and figure 2 relates to The Rows.

FIGURE 1: Vacant ground floor units

FIGURE 2: Vacant units at The Rows

Appendix L

Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment

continued

Watergate Street is a successful destination, centrally located within the City Centre off The Cross, benefitting from a range of occupiers and rich heritage assets. The Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis below explores the present situation at Watergate Street and its potential fortunes.

Strengths

Attractive Heritage Assets

Centrally located off The Cross

Diverse offering

Benefits from Racecourse footfall

Partially pedestrianised

Weaknesses

Vacant units detract from the character of the area

Lower quality provision on south side

Pedestrian legibility (narrowing of building line)

Limited access to The Rows

Opportunities

Vacant units at The Row versatile

Building on strong F&B offer

Threats

Vacant units at The Rows costly to bring back into use

Financial sustainability of units

Rows left in state of disrepair

Access to rows

Appendix L

Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Northgate Street

Northgate Street is a key route into the City Centre from the north of Chester. It extends from the Fountains Roundabout north of the historic walls to The Cross at the heart of the City Centre to the south. The section of Northgate Street within Chester’s retail core (within the historic walls) extends to approximately 400m in length. It is a diverse street with a variety of functions and uses and is the location of the Chester Town Hall and Town Hall Square.

Due to the influence of the highway network, and in part due to the architectural style of buildings, Northgate Street can be broadly divided into three sections: Northgate Street south of the historic walls to Hunter Street, Northgate Street adjacent to the Town Hall Square, and Northgate Street leading to The Cross.

Northgate Street south of the historic walls to Town Hall on both sides of the street is designated Secondary Shopping Frontage, making way for Primary Shopping Frontage through to The Cross, on the Council’s adopted proposal map.

Northgate Street south of the historic walls to Hunter Street

The Grade I Listed Northgate provides a strong gateway into the Chester retail core. There are a wide range of buildings of differing styles accommodating a range of uses at this section Northgate Street, many of which have heritage value, including 11 separate listings. The predominate scale of buildings is 3-storeys, although there is more variety of scale at the west side of the street.

This section of Northgate Street is open to vehicular traffic, although it is limited to one-way vehicular movements in a north-south direction. There is also a cycle lane which is limited to one-way movements in a south-north direction.

Travelling south from Northgate, observers are promptly met with Centurion House, a modern 4-storey office building which is described as a ‘key detractor’ in the Chester Characterisation Study by virtue of its intrusive scale and materials. It is unclear whether the upper floors of Centurion House are occupied. Similarly, Gateway House opposite Hunter Street is a modern office building which detracts from its surrounding, though is of a scale consistent with neighbouring buildings. Gateway House accommodates a range of food / takeaway establishments at the ground floor.

Also of note is Rufus Court, located opposite the restaurant Chez Jules. Rufus Court is an interesting commercial area off Northgate Street which accommodates a range of uses including retail, cafes, and drinking establishments. The Storey House theatre is also an imposing building from the south, with its southern elevation comprising 5-storeys.

Northgate Street adjacent to the Town Hall Square

Between Hunter Street and Hamilton Place / St Werburgh Street, although the character of buildings and establishments at the east side of Northgate Street continue, the general character of Northgate Street changes with the introduction of public realm and as the imposing Town Hall comes into view.

The Town Hall Square is a major civic space with the capacity to hold a variety of events. Opposite the Town Hall is the Grade II Listed Chester Magistrates Court, combining to give a sense of the long-standing civic importance of Chester. There are various benches and places to dwell in the Square. It is at the Town Hall Square where vehicular traffic is restricted by a manned access barrier. Traffic signage is evident in the adjacent to the Square which detracts from the character of the civic space.

Abutting the Town Hall to the south is the Forum Shopping Centre which dates to 1973. The Forum Shopping Centre has a modern appearance which detracts from the historical character of the Town Hall and adjacent Square. One of the units at the Forum which fronts onto the Square is vacant. Unsympathetic vinyls currently occupy the glazed element of the window of this vacant unit.

There are two notably vacant buildings at this section of Northgate Street: The Co-operative Bank and part of The Place for The Arts in Chester unit. These two premises hold prominent corner locations.

Northgate Street leading to The Cross

The southern section of Northgate Street leading to The Cross is pedestrianised and is characterised by retail uses. All buildings at this section are listed, except 1-3 Eastgate which is designated a Building of Merit (1-3 Eastgate has a frontage on Northgate Street). Nos. 1 to 31 Northgate Street, which comprises the western side of this southern section, is of particular interest.

The width of Northgate Street reduces at this southern section in keeping with the heart of the retail core at The Cross. This dynamic creates the impression that one has arriving at the city’s historic centre. The narrowing streets mean the rich heritage features of the upper floors is less noticeable.

Between the Skipton Building and the Church at The Cross is an alleyway to St Peters Churchyard which accommodates a lively evening scene with The Commercial Bar and The Victoria public house.

TABLE 2: Northgate Street

Figure 3 below denote the location of the vacant units at Northgate Street.

FIGURE 3: Northgate Street Vacant units

Appendix L

Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment

Northgate Street is a primary route into the heart of the city centre from the north of Chester. It has a diverse range of uses and is rich in heritage assets including the Town Hall. It is also one of the few places in the city with a flexible civic space. However, there are buildings which detract from the character of the street including Centurion House, Gateway House, and The Forum Shopping Centre. The Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis below explores the present situation at Northgate Street and its potential fortunes.

Strengths

Flexible civic space

Attractive heritage assets

Key route into the City Centre

Pedestrian friendly environment

Strong retail offer

Notable landmarks

Partly Pedestrianised

Opportunities

Opportunity to host events

Proximity to the Cathedral

Links to new Northgate development

Weaknesses

Vacant units in prominent locations

Northern section constrained by highway network

A number of buildings detract from character of the area Environment deteriorates towards Northgate

Smaller vacant units limit type of retail occupier

Limited outdoor seating space adjacent to units

Not fully pedestrianised and pedestrian quality varies

Threats

May not be able to cater to demand for outdoor seating

Units of similar size not able to appeal to varied range of occupiers

Appendix L

Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Bridge Street

Bridge Street is arguably the premier destination in Chester’s retail core. Permeating from the Cross in a southerly direction, Bridge Street is largely pedestrianised, has clear vistas, rich heritage assets including The Rows, a diverse offering, and plentiful space for outdoor dining.

The Rows are key to the street’s character, providing visual interest and vibrancy, and maximising dwell time with opportunities to explore areas of Bridge Street not readily discernible from Street level. However, many units at The Rows are vacant or cater to the evening economy and therefore appear vacant during the daytime. The Rows are also dark and inaccessible to some.

The ‘Three Old Arches’ at Bridge Street with its medieval undercroft and shopfront is one of the oldest shops in the country with origins dating to the 13th Century. Chester’s primary undercover shopping centre, Grosvenor Shopping Centre, is also accessible from Bridge Street at Row level. The character of Bridge Street changes at Feathers Lane where it opens to vehicular traffic.

Bridge Street falls away to the south towards the River Dee. Trees across the River Dee are discernible looking southwards, and St Michael’s Church is a strong feature at the junction with Pepper Street; the view northwards towards The Cross provides an impressive view of the St Peter’s Church Tower which is distinct from neighbouring buildings.

The majority of Bridge Street is designated Primary Shopping Frontage on the Council’s adopted proposals map. The frontage at the southern end of Bridge Street is designated Secondary Frontage. The Rows are designated secondary frontage.

Bridge Street is unusual in that it doesn’t have a single drinking establishment at ground floor level. There is a high number of cafes and restaurants, benefiting from outdoor seating areas, along with retail provision. 18% of units at the ground floor are vacant, as set out at Table 3 below.

There are 52 discernible units are The Rows, 62% of which are occupied and 38% vacant. Notably, there are 7 vacant units in a row at the west side of The Rows closest to The Cross.

BANKING/ESTATE AGENTS CAFE/RESTAURANTS

TABLE 3: Bridge Street ground floor land uses

Figure 4 and 5 below denote the vacant units ground floor units and The Rows at Bridge Street respectively.

FIGURE 4: Bridge Street ground floor vacant units

FIGURE 5: Bridge Street The Rows vacant units

Appendix L Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Bridge Street is a key street at the heart of the City Centre off The Cross. The Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis below explores the present situation at Bridge Street and its potential fortunes.

Strengths

Linked to heart of city centre at The Cross

Attractive heritage assets

Clear vistas

Public realm sufficient to accommodate outdoor seating

Strong retail offer

Partly Pedestrianised

Weaknesses

High vacancy rate, particularly at The Rows

Not fully pedestrianised

Opportunities

Vacant units at The Row versatile Building on strong F&B offer

Threats

Units fallen into disrepair costly to bring back into use

Fortunes of The Grosvenor Shopping Centre will affect Bridge Street

BANKING/ESTATE AGENTS CAFE/RESTAURANTS

Appendix L

Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Lower Bridge Street and White Friars

At the southern area of Chester’s retail core is Lower Bridge Street to St Olave Street and White Friars. These two areas are within the Bridgegate and The Castle Chester Characterisation areas respectively and are designated Secondary Shopping Frontages in the Council’s adopted proposals map.

White Friars and Falcon Inn

White Friars and the Falcon Inn are located at the top of Grosvenor Street. Grosvenor Street was designed to provide a grand entrance to the city from the Easton Hall estate to the west and its diagonal orientation has a notable impact on the grid form of this part of Chester. The Falcon Inn is a 2-storey Grade 1 Listed, dating to circa 1180, currently operating as a public house. At White Friars there is a 3-storey commercial building in mock Tudor style and active ground floor frontage. Much of the ground floor units are vacant. The wider area is characterised by main town centre uses, with residential dwellings also evident to the rear of White Friars.

Grosvenor Street is a main road in the local highway network. The Grosvenor Street / Pepper Street junction, described as a Strong Node in the Chester Characterisation Study, is adjacent to White Friars, which reflects how vehicular movement in this area of Chester is a prominent feature. The Grade II Listed Church of St Michael at the Grosvenor Street / Pepper Street junction is a notable landmark travelling along Grosvenor Street from the west.

Lower Bridge Street

Lower Bridge Street continues from Bridge Street towards the River Dee to the south. The Street has a secondary retail function with a broad range of main town centre uses prevalent with Estate Agents having a notable presence. Buildings are predominately 3-storeys high with active ground floor frontage.

Lower Bridge Street is a well-occupied, successful location within the retail core, with only one vacant unit. Due to the width of the street, mix of uses, and vehicle movements, Lower Bridge Street has the character of a local centre.

Lower Bridge Street is a key road in the local highway network, directing vehicle movements from the south of Chester across the River Dee towards the heart of the city centre. Due to ground levels and orientation of the street, St Peter’s Church Tower and St Michael’s Church are clearly visible the length of the street and draws the visitor towards the heart of the city centre.

Pedestrian footfall was notably lower than other areas of the city centre which may be a reflection of how retail provision is not a prominent feature of this area.

Land Use

The primary operations evident at Lower Bridge Street and White Friars are those associated with Estate Agencies, with 9 such establishments evident which equates to 31% of all provision. Hair and Beauty provision is also a prominent use, making up 21% of all provision. Retail makes up 17% of all provision with 5 units offering retail services.

FIGURE 5: Lower Bridge Street and White Friars Vacant units

Figure 6 below denote the location of the vacant units at Lower Bridge Street and White Friars.

Appendix L

Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Lower Bridge Street and White Friars embody a secondary retail function with a range of main town centres prevalent. It is a main conduit to the city centre from the south and, although dominated by vehicle movements, is a successful street with attractive heritage assets. The SWOT analysis below provides further detail on how the area performs in comparison to the wider city centre area and what may affect its continued success.

Strengths

Key route from the south of Chester to the city centre

Attractive heritage assets

Clear vistas

Agglomeration of Estate Agencies provide a degree of characterisation

Successfully occupied Street with only two vacant units

Opportunities

Strengthen the link with routes around the River Dee

Activity/events to the south of the city would draw footfall through the area

Weaknesses

Vehicle movements are a key feature of area

Not pedestrianised

Lower footfall that other parts of the city centre

Public realm insufficient to accommodate outdoor seating

Threats

Should the existing priority given to vehicle movements prevail the street may be affected by the fortunes of neighbouring streets with more desirable town centre conditions such as public realm

Appendix L Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Pepper Street

Pepper Street forms the southern section of the ring road and as a result the street is dominated by vehicular traffic. Much of Pepper Street’s historic fabric was lost during street-widening to accommodate the ring road.

St Michael’s Church and the Travelodge are notable landmark features at the Pepper Street / Bridge Street junction. The Grosvenor Centre has a modern elevation at the centre of Pepper Street which, along with the ‘NCP Chester Pepper Street’ car park, is described as a key detractor in the Chester Characterisation Study.

There are four large food and beverage premises opposite the Grosvenor Centre frontage on the southern side of Pepper Street, two of which are vacant. One of these premises is the Grade II Listed Former Methodist New Connexion Chapel which is currently occupied by Opera Grill. These premises feel isolated from the main retail core of Chester, separated by the vehicle dominated Pepper Street and with pedestrian crossings away from the units at Newgate or the Pepper Street / Bridge Street junction.

Newgate House is located to the east of the Grosvenor Centre and is considered a Building of Merit. It is currently in use as offices and a drinking establishment.

The units fronting Pepper Street generally have large floorplates and are currently occupied (or have been previously) by national brands which are a common feature of many UK highstreets including All Bar One, Las Iguanas, and Piccolinos.

Despite many of the units at Pepper Street being occupied by food and beverage establishments, the street lacks any real character due to the vehicle dominated ring road, and as a result does not feel like a destination in its own right. The street has a transient

feel, with the ring road facilitating movement to other areas of the city centre.

Table 5 below denotes the breakdown of uses at Pepper Street. There remains a retail presence on Pepper Street, with 27% of units consisting of a retail function. However, vacant units are the defining feature of Pepper Street, in part due to the large footprint of these units and location at the centre of the street.

TABLE 5: Pepper Street

Figure 7 below denote the location of the vacant units at Pepper Street

FIGURE 7: Pepper Street Vacant units

Appendix L

Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Although the general character of Pepper Street is hard to discern due to the prevalence of the ring road, popular national brands have a presence at Pepper Street including the Travel Lodge hotel. There is also a NCP car park with 273 car parking spaces conveniently location in close proximity to the Roman Amphitheatre and the Grosvenor Centre. The SWOT analysis below sets out the Pepper Street’s strengths and weaknesses and explores what will potentially affect its future fortunes.

Strengths

Large floorplates able to cater to national brands

Hotel offering

Strong food and beverage offering

Benefits from public transport links

Conveniently located adjacent to Chester’s primary covered shopping centre

Car park offering

Opportunities

Ability to attract large national brands

Proximity to the River Dee

Proximity to City Walls, Amphitheatre, Grosvenor Park, and Roman Gardens

Soft landscaping / planting to improve character

Weaknesses

Characterised by the ring road

Transient feel

Operators on southern side feel isolated

Unfriendly pedestrian environment

Lower footfall that other parts of the city centre

Public realm insufficient to accommodate outdoor seating

Threats

The fortunes of national brands have a direct bearing on fortunes of Pepper Street

The pivot of F&B to Northgate

Appendix L Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Grosvenor Shopping Centre

The Grosvenor Shopping Centre is a covered shopping centre integrated into the two-level Rows system with entrances at street level on Eastgate Street and Row level on Bridge Street. Access is also provided at Pepper Street which acts as the Shopping Centre’s main frontage. The Grosvenor Shopping Centre, once a Victorian shopping arcade, was extended in the 1960s.

The Grosvenor Shopping Centre at its Bridge Street entrance incorporates St Michael’s Row. The occupiers at St Michael’s can be considered high-end retailers with occupiers such as Hugo Boss prevalent. The shopfront at St Michael’s Row are uniform with a consistent gold colouring with wooden entrance doors, stall risers, and facias. Each unit has a projecting sign in the same style and gold colouring. There is a glass ceiling which creates a light, airy space. The overall character of St Michael’s Row is of a high-quality and attractive retail arcade. However, there are notable vacant units which causes a lack of activity which undermines the provision.

St Michael’s Row makes way for St Michael’s Square which is the main area within the Grosvenor Shopping Centre. The square is not well-lit which creates a dark space in contrast to St Michael’s Row. National brands are prevalent at St Michael’s Square including H&M and TK Maxx, reflecting the larging floorplates available.

Newgate Row links St Michael’s Square to Eastgate Street, the shopping centre’s entrance to the north. This section of the shopping centre is well occupied with a variety of retailers present. Newgate Row benefits from a glass ceiling which creates a similar light, airy space similar to St Michael’s Row. However, the shopping frontages at Newgate Row are not uniform and vary in quality

Access from Pepper Street is via Paddock Row. Paddock Row is lacking in activity with much of the provision devoted to management facilities without active frontages. This creates the dynamic of a corridor, a vacant space between Pepper Street and the retail provision at St Michael’s Square.

The Grosvenor Shopping Centre is predominantly occupied by retail provision, with 66% of provision devoted to retail. 21% of units at the shopping centre are vacant including large units formerly occupied by Topman and Dorothy Perkins.

Although 21% of units are vacant, in terms of floorspace, the vast majority of the shopping centre is vacant following the closure of Debenhams on the 12th of May 2021. The Debenhams department store formerly operated over 5 floors and had a notable frontage on Eastgate Street. The department store was accessed from St Michael’s Square and Newgate Row. The closure of Debenhams is a significant loss to the Grosvenor Centre with it not only reducing footfall but with it also having a detrimental impact on the appearance and character of the shopping centre with the department store unit evident from a number of different vantage points.

FIGURE 8: Grosvenor Street Vacant units

TABLE 5: Grosvenor Shopping Centre

Figure 8 below denote the location of the vacant units at Grosvenor Street.

Appendix L Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

The Grosvenor Shopping Centre is strategically located within the City Centre. It is accessible from a number of directions and links different parts of the City Centre together. Its primary provision is retail, with large floorplates catering to national brands. However, with the development of Northgate and the changing nature of the high street, its fortunes are unclear, particular as a large part of its retail provision is at the dark and dated St Michael’s Square. The SWOT analysis explores the future of the Grosvenor Shopping Centre.

Strengths

Covered shopping area

Large floorplates able to cater to national brands

Accessible from various directions

Strong retail offering

St Michael’s Row has kept much of its historic character

Conveniently located with respect to car parking

Opportunities

Ability to attract large national brands

The Centre is permeable and therefore it links areas of the city

Weaknesses

Large floorplates only suitable for national brands

St Michael’s Square is poorly lit

Dominated by retail

Not overly apparent where the Centre is located

Large floorplates mean vacant units more noticeable

Aside from the St Michael’s Row, lacking in historic interest

High levels of vacancy

Threats

Rental and business rates threat to attracting occupiers

Ownership uncertainty

Vulnerable to the changing behaviours of shoppers

Appendix L Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Eastgate Street

Eastgate Street begins at The Cross at the heart of Chester City Centre and is orientated in an eastly direction to the city walls. The majority of buildings at Eastgate Street are listed. The length of Eastgate Street is designated Primary Shopping Frontage and The Rows are designated Secondary Shopping Frontage on the Council’s adopted proposals map.

From The Cross looking east, views of the Eastgate Clock are clearly discernible, framed between the building line of the northern and southern side of Eastgate Street. The Eastgate Clock is located at the city walls which span the street; it dates to 1899 when it was erected to mark Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

Eastgate Street accommodates the highest volume of footfall in the City Centre, reflecting its position as the City Centre’s primary retail street. It acts as a destination in its own right as primary retail frontage with rich heritage features including The Rows and is a link between key City Centre attractions including The Cross, Chester Cathedral, the city walls, Eastgate Clock, and the Grosvenor Shopping Centre. However, the close proximity to Chester Cathedral is underutilised with a lack of animation at ground level and priority given to vehicle traffic.

The street is visually appealing with an array of activity, in part due to the considerable number of smaller units, The Rows, and rich historic buildings. The Rows terminate as Eastgate Street meets St Werburgh Street, making way for larger shopfronts opening onto street level. The narrow street provides a strong sense of enclosure which heightens the sense of activity.

A high proportion of The Rows (44%) at Eastgate Street are vacant. This is a higher proportion than units at The Rows elsewhere in the city. Therefore, although The Rows are of historic importance and visually appealing, they are at risk of detracting from the street rather than enhancing it. This point is heightened with

the closure of Debenhams; the former Debenhams unit has notable frontage at The Rows at the southern side of Eastgate Street.

The vast majority of units at the ground floor level at Eastgate Street accommodate retail provision with 69% of units concerned with retail. This is the highest proportion of retail provision in the City Centre. A breakdown of provision at Eastgate is set out table 7 below.

TABLE 7: Eastgate Street – Land Use

FIGURE 9: Vacant Eastgate Street ground floor units

FIGURE 10: Vacant units at Eastgate Street The Rows

The figures below denote the location of the vacant units at Eastgate Street. Figure 9 relates to the ground floor units and figure 10 relates to The Rows.

Appendix L

Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Eastgate Street is an important street within Chester’s retail core, with a predominately retail offering. This retail offer is complimented with direct access to the Grosvenor Shopping Centre, which also has a strong retail offer. Eastgate Street has a high footfall, attributable to how it is also conveniently located adjacent to or in close proximity to some of Chester’s main attractions. The SWOT analysis below sets out the street’s strengths and weaknesses and examines how it may fair in the future.

Strengths

High footfall

Conveniently located to key attractions

Attractive heritage assets

Centrally located off The Cross

Strong retail offering

Pedestrianised

Clustering of jewellers

Opportunities

Vacant units at The Row versatile

Proximity to Chester Cathedral under-sold

As the primary street in the City Centre, Eastgate Street will benefit from any regeneration which takes place in the City Centre.

Weaknesses

Large proportion of vacant units at The Rows

Accessibility issues

Threats

Fortunes of street tied to the fortune of retail

More vulnerable to changing high street behaviours than neighbouring streets

Appendix L Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Foregate Street

Foregate Street extends from the city walls at Eastgate to The Bars inner ring road roundabout to the east, where Chester’s primary shopping area terminates.

Due to the orientation of the Chester, Foregate Street is the primary route into the City Centre from the west. Approximately 400m in length, Foregate Street embodies a predominantly retail function, accommodating many national brands including Wilko and Primark.

The pedestrianised section of Foregate Street closest to the city walls shares many of the characteristics of Watergate Street and Eastgate Street with a rich sense of history apparent. The narrow street at this section provides a strong sense of enclosure. The generally straight orientation of Foregate Street means the Eastgate clock is clearly discernible travelling from the west and draws visitors to the heart of the city centre.

Travelling along Foregate Street in an easterly direction, modern interventions in the built form become more common, which has negatively affected the historic grain of the street. The result is that the character of Foregate Street becomes less defined the further one travels from the city walls. The quality of shopfronts also vary considerably.

From the junction with Frodsham Street, Foregate Street is opened to vehicular traffic. As a major bus route, heavy traffic is apparent which has a negative impact on the shopping environment.

The combination of heavy traffic and modern interventions results in the character of Foregate Street being largely similar to that of a generic UK high street with some historic buildings of interest. It is not until one approaches the Frodsham Street junction that features which make Chester an international tourist destination are apparent.

The majority of Foregate Street is designated Primary Shopping Frontage on the Council’s adopted proposals map.

A section of Foregate Street on its southern side to the east of Love Street is designated Secondary Shopping Frontage.

Approximately half of the provision at Foregate Street is devoted to retail (47%). A high proportion (19%) of the units are Foregate Street are vacant. These vacant units are generally located at the northern side of the street. Approximately 30% of units accommodate a variety of main town centre uses.

TABLE 8: Foregate Street

FIGURE 11: Foregate Street Vacant units

Figure 11 below denote the location of the vacant units at Foregate Street.

Appendix L

Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Foregate Street has a strong retail offer with 30 occupied retail units. Many of the units are of modern design of varying quality. It is conveniently located in relation to the ring road and is the primary route into the City Centre from the west. However, it is dominated by heavy traffic which negatively affects the shopping experience. The street is in direct competition with the Grosvenor Shopping Centre and the new Northgate scheme. The fortunes of Foregate Street is sensitive to changing retail behaviours. The SWOT analysis below explores the existing situation at Foregate Street and its potential fortunes.

Strengths

Large floorplates able to cater to national brands

Primary route into the City Centre from the west

Strong retail offering

Historic interest at eastern section

Conveniently located with respect to ring road

Public transport offering

Opportunities

High volume of footfall / movement to the City Centre from the west

Ability to attract large national brands

Public realm / soft landscaping would enhance the shopping experience

Front door to the City Centre from the train station

Weaknesses

Large floorplates only suitable for national brands

Large floorplates mean vacant units more noticeable

Character of street less defined to the west

Dominated by heavy traffic

Modern interventions negatively affect character/ shopping experience

Feels on periphery of the City Centre

Threats

Vulnerable to the changing behaviour of shoppers

Reliant on retail offer

Appendix L

Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Frodsham Street

Frodsham Street is orientated in a broadly north –south direction, running parallel to the eastern section of the city walls. It extends from the canal at the north to Foregate Street in the south. Beyond the canal to the north is Chester bus station. Frodsham Street is the primary route into the City Centre from the suburbs north of the city adjacent to A56 (Hoole Way and Hoole Road).

Frodsham Street is partly pedestrianised, with access retained for buses. It is a busy street with a high-level of footfall. The high volume of footfall and route of the buses combine to create a chaotic environment where pedestrians and buses are obstacles to each other.

The street embodies a secondary retail function, which compliments other retail areas of the City Centre. It accommodates a number of charity shops, discount stores, betting shops, and an amusement arcade. Vacant units are not a common feature of Frodsham, although 15-23 Frodsham Street which occupies a prominent corner location is vacant.

As with Foregate Street, the sections of Frodsham Street closest to the city centre retain many characteristics of Chester’s popular streets. The RBS bank at the corner of Foregate / Frodsham Street is Grade II Listed and contributes to an attractive entrance to Frodsham Street from the south. However, moving along Frodsham Street north many modern interventions are discernible particular in relation to shopfront design. The interventions are not necessarily unattractive but combined with the secondary retail function of the street, it creates a dynamic where Frodsham Street takes on the role of a functional destination rather being of tourist interest.

Buildings at Frodsham Street are generally of a lesser scale than that seen elsewhere in the City Centre, being predominantly 2-storeys. There are two points along the western side of Frodsham Street where views to the city walls and Cathedral are discernible. Frodsham Street car park, adjacent to the city walls, is dedicated disabled parking during traditional shopping hours, and general pay-and-display parking in the evenings.

Frodsham Shopping Mall is located at a break in the frontage at the western side of Frodsham Street. The shopping mall only contains a handful of units and is dated and largely vacant. A Tesco supermarket is accessed via the shopping mall.

Frodsham Street is designated Secondary Shopping Frontage on the Council’s adopted proposals map. Over half of provision at Frodsham Street is retail, although 27% of this retail offer is charity shops (7 units). A breakdown of the provision at Frodsham by land use is detailed in chart below:

TABLE 9: Frodsham Street

FIGURE 12: Frodsham Street Vacant units

Figure 12 below denote the location of the vacant units at Frodsham Street.

Appendix L

Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

Frodsham Street has a role not seen elsewhere in the City Centre with a low-cost discount offer. It is strategically located linking the bus station with Foregate Street. It also offers views of and access to the Cathedral / city walls. However, it has less of a tourist offer owing to modern interventions and shopfronts of lesser quality than other parts of the City Centre. The SWOT analysis explores the dynamics affecting Frodsham Street in greater detail:

Strengths

Conveniently located adjacent to Chester Cathedral, Chester bus station, Canal Side, and Foregate Street

Primary route into the City Centre from the north

Retail offering not seen in other parts of the City Centre

Partly pedestrianised

High volume of footfall

Opportunities

High volume of footfall / movement to the City Centre from the north / bus station

Located on a clear heritage trail owing to proximity to the Cathedral, city walls, and canal

Weaknesses

Perception as a less desirable secondary retail street

Low-cost and discount retail offer

Chaotic shopping environment due to bus route / part pedestrianisation

Less heritage interest than other areas of the City

Some occupiers detract from character of the area

Threats

Going through a period of transition

Lower quality of occupiers a risk to investment

Appendix L Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment continued

St Werburgh Street and Godstall Lane

St Werburgh Street links Northgate Street to Eastgate Street. The path of the street skirts the south-west boundary of Chester Cathedral. Despite being adjacent to the Cathedral, St Werburgh Street is one of the quieter streets in the City Centre, which may be attributable to how priority is given to vehicular traffic, and the prevalence of vacant units.

At the part 2, part 3-storey St Werburgh Row at the eastern section of St Werburgh Street, there are four vacant units. These units are Grade II Listed and date to 1935. The pedestrian footpath is covered owing to the overhang of the upper floors. The combination of the covered footpath and vacant units create a dark, uninviting environment.

A range of uses with active ground floor frontage are evident at the central section of St Werburgh Street including retail provision, a hairdressers, a café, and an ice cream parlour. Units 19 to 27 are covered by the overhang of upper floors. Between 27 and 29 St Werburgh Street is Godstall Lane which is characterised by restaurant and drinking establishments. Godstall Lane is an interesting narrow passage ‘hidden away’ between the rear of buildings at Northgate Street and the southern section of St Werburgh Street.

The southern end of St Werburgh Street feels more animated with greater footfall and with the pedestrian footpath no longer covered. There is a convenient access point to the Cathedral grounds which works to direct footfall between the southern section of St Werburgh Street and Eastgate Street, rather than in a north-easterly direction towards St Werburgh Row. This section of St Werburgh Street dates to the late 19th Century and is designed in the attractive and familiar black and white style seen throughout Chester.

St Werburgh Street is one of the few places in the City Centre which benefits from its proximity to trees and soft landscaping within the Cathedral Grounds.

St Werburgh Street and Godstall Lane are designated Secondary Shopping Frontages on the Council’s adopted proposals map.

As a whole St Werburgh Street has a strong retail offer (12 units / 45% of provision), though this is focused towards the southern section of the street. This retail offer is complimented by the food and beverage offering at Godstall Lane. The Botanist restaurant has an entrance at St Werburgh Street and a frontage at Goodstall Lane. Vacant units comprise 26% of the total provision at St Werburgh Street and Godstall Lane.

TABLE 10: St Werburgh Street and Godstall Lane

FIGURE 12: St Werburgh Street vacant units

Figure 13 below denote the location of the vacant units at St Werburgh Street.

Appendix L Chester Characterisation and Vacancy Assessment

continued

St Werburgh Street is strategically located off of Northgate Street adjacent to the Town Hall Square, adjacent to Chester Cathedral, and benefits from a junction with Eastgate Street, Chester’s primary retail street. Despite this advantageous location, St Werburgh Street is quiet and lacks footfall and is subject to vacant units at St Werburgh Row. The character of the street is not befitting of its location, historical importance, or potential. The SWOT analysis below explores the dynamics at St Werburgh Street in more detail.

Strengths

Advantageous location

Historical interest / importance

Aesthetically pleasing, particularly at the southern section

Godstall Lane is an interesting quirk

Strong retail offer at southern section

Proximity to green space / soft landscaping

Opportunities

Located on a historical trail

Proximity to key tourist destinations

Better signposting / public realm would draw footfall to the street

Views of the Cathedral

Proximity to a rare area of greenery in Chester

Weaknesses

Vacant units at St Werburgh Row

Covered pedestrian pavements and northeast orientation creates a dark environment

Vehicle movements given priority

Lacking defined character / doesn’t feel like a destination

Threats

Perception as not as important as other streets

Without a particular draw it may continue to be overshadowed by other streets

Vacant units are St Werburgh Row costly to bring back into use

Not the most accessible area of the City Centre from a public transport / parking perspective

Appendix M Chester SocioDemographic Analysis

Chester is the largest settlement in CWaC with over 81,000 residents.33 It is the key economic driver for the borough, acting as sub-regional centre for employment, shopping, leisure, culture, tourism, and other facilities. The city is internationally renowned as a historic city with unique heritage assets particularly Roman remains, the City Walls and medieval Rows.

Like many historic settlements in the UK, in addition to having unique strengths, Chester has long-standing social challenges. Some communities surrounding the City Centre have social issues of poor health, vulnerability, and low qualifications with economic problems of rising unemployment and benefit claiming.

Chester is also expected to experience a significant growth in elderly households over the next 15 years, which will place additional stress on social, healthcare, and housing support services, and a need to deliver an appropriate range of housing to accommodate Chester’s ageing population. As of 2013, 18% of residents in Chester were aged 65+.

The age profile of the Chester Primary Retail Market Area, as defined by PMA, includes a particularly high proportion of the retired aged 65 and over; older working age adults aged 45-64 are also over-represented. In contrast, children aged 0-14, young adults aged 15-24 and adults aged 2544 are moderately under-represented within the Chester area. Between 2001 and 2011 Chester saw a significant increase in the retired aged 65 and over and significant decrease in children aged 0-14 and adults aged 25-44. 34

Chester Key Statistics

24% of children aged 0-16 were in income deprivation quintile 1.36

In 2011 the Chester area contained a significantly above average proportion of adults of working age categorised within the most affluent AB social group (which includes those in managerial and professional occupations). In contrast, social group C1 (which includes junior non manual employees) is moderately under-represented within the Chester area. 35

33 Local Plan (Part One) Strategic Policies, p13.

34 Promis Retail Report, PMA (April 2021).

35 Ibid

36 Percentage of under 16s in national quintile 1. Source: Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) 2010, 2013 ONS mid-year population estimates

3 Primary, Secondary and Special schools only. Pupils resident in Cheshire West and Chester. Source: 2012/13 Pupil Level Annual School Census

38 Key Stage 4, pupils resident in Cheshire West and Chester. Source: 2012/13 Pupil Level Annual School Census

39 Percentage of adults aged 16 and over Source: ONS, 2011 Census (Table DC6201EW)

40 Percentage of households by tenure type Source: ONS, 2011 Census (Table KS402EW)

13.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals.37

61.8% of children attained 5+ A* - C GCSE’s or equivalent including english and maths.38

3.3% of adults are unemployed.39

17.8% of residents live in socially rented accommodation.40

Appendix M Chester Socio-Demographic Analysis continued

Chester City and The Garden Quarter Ward Profile41

The Chester City and Garden Quarter Ward study area is denoted below at Figure 1.1:

FIGURE 1.1: Chester City and Garden Quarter Ward study area

There are

17,800 residents with the Chester City and The Garden Quarter Ward

Children aged 0-15 make up

8% of Chester City and the Garden Quarter Ward population compared to 17.8% across the borough.

14.2% of people are aged 65+ compared to 21.1% across the borough.

59.4% of residents are aged between 16-44 compared to 33.2% across the borough.

The economically active rate for the two wards is

68.4% which is slightly less than the CWaC average of 70.2%.

15% of children are eligible for free school meals compared to 12.4% across CWaC.

Appendix M

Chester Socio-Demographic Analysis continued

Deprivation

Table 1.1 below sets out how the study area performs compared to the wider CWaC area and England in terms of its overall IMD ranking. Over 50% of residents in the study area live in areas of relatively high deprivation. It is also home to notably fewer residents in the least deprived quintile than the wider CWaC area and England.

Figure 1.2 below denotes the percentage of the study area’s population by quintile / indices. It shows that for Education and Barriers to Housing the study area performs well. This suggests residents are generally well educated, skilled, and have good access to housing physically and financially. In contrast, the study area performs poorly in terms of health, which relates to premature death and the impairment of quality of life by poor health and disability, crime, and living environment. The living environment indices relates to quality of housing and other measures such as air quality and road traffic accidents.

TABLE 1.1:

FIGURE 1.2: Indices of Deprivation 2015 – Population by deprivation domain

Appendix N Cultural Strategies Case Studies

The cultural strategies of York City Council and Bath & North East Somerset Council have been examined to understand the prevailing themes and actions the Councils pursue to deliver the vision and priorities of their respective cultural strategies. The Council’s websites have also been consulted to ascertain what services and guidance are available with respect to finding and hosting cultural events.

The cultural strategies are framed by an overarching vision for each district. The vision sets the direction of travel and cultural ambitions. To deliver this vision, priorities and/or objectives are formulated based on the unique characteristics and motivations of the districts. In order for tangible outcomes to be realised from the strategies, the Council’s put forward clear actions and state the outcomes which they expect to be achieved. The actions drill down into what needs to happen on the ground to enhance their cultural offer and range from such things as identifying partnering opportunities to establish effective volunteer coordination.

The cultural strategies and guidance available on the websites of York City Council and Bath and East Somerset Council are summarised overleaf.

Appendix N

Cultural Strategies

A wide range of cultural events are published on York City Council’s website. Advice and guidance including contact details are also provided to assist those seeking to host events in the city.

In 2020, York City Council published York’s Creative Future, a cultural strategy for the city’s through to 2026. It sets out a vision for the City as a place where outstanding, renowned heritage comes together with a cutting-edge contemporary approach to creativity.

To deliver this vision, the Council set out the following six priorities:

1. Cultural engagement, participation and relevance

Culture is inclusive, relevant and accessible to everybody in York, regardless of age, background or postcode.

2. Place-Making

Culture is fully embedded into local investment and city planning developments, with the arts and heritage and cultural wellbeing integral to development processes.

3. Children and Young People

York is the first city to achieve cultural entitlement for all children and young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

4. Talent Development and Retention

York’s creative and cultural sectors thrive and contribute to strengthening and diversifying York’s economy: through universities and colleges providing clear routes to skilled employment, and creative workspaces attracting and retaining creative talent in the city.

5. Culture and Wellbeing

York is recognised nationally for its innovative work in culture for health and wellbeing, including social prescribing, which residents can benefit from throughout their lives.

6. York’s National and International Profile

York’s outstanding arts, culture and heritage and its status as the UK’s first UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts are championed and celebrated, raising the city’s profile nationally and internationally.

For each of the six priorities, the Council outline their ambition, explore the City’s need and opportunities, put forward recommendations and actions to meet their ambitions and identified need, and set out key outcomes. For example, in relation to Cultural engagement, participation and relevance, the Council will address this priority as follows:

Cultural Engagement, Participation, Relevance

York’s Council’s ambition is for culture to be inclusive, relevant, and accessible to everybody in York, regardless of age, background or postcode.

Need and Opportunity

The Culture Strategy focuses on ensuring that York’s cultural offer is inclusive and relevant through a joinedup approach with organisations and providers, which engages with and speaks to diverse communities citywide. It tackles barriers to cultural engagement in York and provides opportunities for creativity, cultural engagement, and participation for all.

The strategy supports community-led cultural initiatives, engages with grassroots community groups working in culture and wellbeing, encourages organisations to highlight existing activities to their local communities, and supports cultural organisations to use their assets to support community-led activities across the wards of the city.

The strategy focuses on supporting digital and new media arts activity, cultural volunteering, placement opportunities, and projects that empower participants to lead cultural activity including ‘take-overs’.

Recommendations and Actions

The Council will encourage new thinking to ensure that engagement with culture is diverse, anti-racist, relevant, and inclusive across the city, whilst working collaboratively with organisations who can promote opportunities to diverse communities based in the wards and neighbourhoods beyond the city centre. Libraries will be reinvented as the heart of local communities, where creativity can be developed and new cultural connections forged.

Work with existing partners and resources will be pursued, including York CVS and Live Well York, to identify current levels of cultural volunteering and to establish effective volunteer coordination across the city. This activity will culminate in a large-scale project in 2022 which engages city residents of all ages and backgrounds in a celebration of York’s cultural heritage, as well as looking forward to the city’s creative future.

Levels of cultural engagement will be measured annually through the national Active Lives and Taking Part surveys sponsored by Arts Council England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Key outcomes

As a result of the cultural strategy, York’s cultural offer will be inclusive and relevant. There is more diversity and intergenerational engagement in arts and heritage, and in volunteering. City of York Council is positioned as one of England’s top five Local Authorities for cultural engagement. Participation in cultural activities in the city will be measured and evaluated to demonstrate inclusion and relevance, and this will demonstrate a measurable increase. Arts and heritage organisations benefit from an enhanced volunteer base.

Cultural Strategies

Bath & North East Somerset

Enable further development of existing activities and services

Encourage new and different activities

Assist in widening their relevance and appeal

Build wider partnerships and cultural networks that will strengthen community bonds, build understanding and friendships

Bring a unique flavour to the district that will: encourage more visitors; contribute to growing economic strength; further develop civic pride and pride in the community; and build capacity within the ‘not for profit’ and voluntary sector.

The Strategy concludes that culture touches the lives of everyone in Bath and North East Somerset, whether local residents, local businesses, or visitors. The Strategy demonstrates the importance of culture to the economic life and prosperity, health and wellbeing of Bath and North East Somerset.

On Bath and North East Somerset Council’s website, helpful information on how to book and host an event are provided. This includes guidance on finding a venue, event planning, and the guidance on which forms and applications to complete.

The Bath and North East Somerset Council’s Cultural Strategy 2011-26 seeks to define the role and the district’s ambitions for culture through to 2026, evidence the need, drivers, and role culture can play in development and change, the partnerships and resources required, the local, regional, and national policy context, and an implementation plan with measurable steps for monitoring progress.

Further to the above strategy, the Council undertook a Cultural and Creative Strategy Review in 2015. The rationale behind the review was that the arts, culture, and creative industries are widely recognised for their positive impact on the economy and society. The strategy review considered the case for the creative sector and provided an update on the sector, highlighting the City’s strengths and key partnerships.

The purpose of the Cultural Strategy is to set out the importance of culture to the life of the district and to provide a framework for the development of cultural events activities and resources that will:

Appendix O Funding Opportunities and Delivery Options

There are a wide range of public sector funding opportunities available to unlock development schemes. For each funding stream there is a different process and set of criteria to meet to obtain funding. Funding opportunities are dynamic with new funding streams coming forward comparatively frequently.

The majority of funding routes require an application form and adherence to the HM Treasury Five Case Model. The Five Case Model is the approach for developing business cases recommended by HM Treasury, the Welsh Government, and the UK Office of Government Commerce. It is widely used across central government departments and public sector organisations.

The purpose of the HM Treasury Five Case/Green Book Compliant route is to address specific questions and provide evidence to satisfy the approver or funder on the following themes:

Towns Funding

On 6 September 2019 the government invited 100 places in England to develop proposals for a Town Deal, forming part of the £3.6 billion Towns Fund.

The Towns Fund seeks to drive the economic regeneration of deprived towns and deliver long-term economic and productivity growth, by renewing and reshaping town centres and high streets in a way that drives growth, improves user experience, and ensures future sustainability.

Town Deal Boards are responsible for developing a Town Investment Plan that sets out a clear vision and strategy for the town. Plans should reflect local priorities and be co-designed with local businesses and communities. A Town Investment Plan will be used as the basis for agreeing the Town Deal. Following the Town Investment Plan, the second stage of the application process requires Heads of Terms to be agreed and a Full Business Cases to be prepared and submitted for local assurance.

Strategic

Policy context and strategic drivers / the case for change

Commercial

Overview of market/supply side and approach to commercial delivery

Management

Programme management arrangements and key programme milestones

Financial

Overview of capital and revenue resource available and outline of sources and application of funding

Economic (Including Benefit Cost Ratio)

Programme level option assessment and portfolio of sub-programmes and projects.

The Towns Fund comprises up to £25m to deliver local priorities whether that be regeneration, transport, culture, employment & skills. Projects have to be delivered by March 2026.

Brownfield Land Funding

The £75m Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) can be leveraged to support the release of local authority-owned brownfield land for housing. The fund will also seek to support self and custom-build projects on both brownfield and greenfield sites.

The Fund is administered through the One Public Estate Programme, a partnership between Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, and the Local Government Association.

The BLRF offers up to £75 million of capital grant funding to unlock and accelerate the release of sites. Of this £75m, £25 million will be allocated for self and custom-build projects that meet the gateway criteria.

Encourage the use of public assets to drive innovative delivery, through SME support, bespoke delivery models, high-quality design and modern methods of construction.

Demonstrate a return for Government investment into these small sites.

Enable schemes to deliver within the funding timescale.

It is expected that this funding to be attractive to sites typically accommodating up to 250 homes, but larger sites may be considered by exception.

All local authorities across England are eligible to apply, apart from those in Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) areas that had the opportunity to benefit from the £400 million Brownfield Housing Fund (Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North of Tyne, Sheffield City Region, Tees Valley, West Midlands and West Yorkshire).

Levelling up Funding

The Levelling Up Fund will invest in local infrastructure that has a visible impact on people and their communities. This includes a range of high value local investment priorities, including local transport schemes, urban regeneration projects and cultural assets. The Fund is jointly managed by HM Treasury (HMT), the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), and the Department for Transport (DfT). The Fund will focus investment in projects that require up to £20m of funding.

Applications for funding are required to demonstrate how proposed investments will support relevant local strategies and their objectives for improving infrastructure, promoting growth, enhancing the natural environment and making their areas more attractive places to live and work. Local areas will also need to show why the proposed investment or set of investments represents the highest value local priorities.

To provide an insight into the funding landscape and the types of funding which is available, a range of funding streams are set out below, with key elements of the fund such as how much can be applied for and the expected outcomes might be denoted:

The aims of the Brownfield Land Release Fund are to:

Release local authority owned land by the end of March 2024 for housing development that otherwise would not come forward during that period.

An initial funding round closed on 18th June for schemes related to transport, culture, regeneration, towns funding objectives. A second round opens in Autumn 2021.

Appendix O Cultural Strategies continued

Homes England Funding Community Renewal Funding

Homes England is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Homes England offers a range of funding opportunities to its investment partners. Organisations can apply to become an investment partner with applications determined on criteria such as financial and commercial standing.

Affordable Homes Programme

Through its Affordable Homes Programme 2021 to 2026, Homes England provides grant funding to support the capital costs of developing affordable housing for rent or sale. There are two routes to access this funding: scheme by scheme bidding through continuous market engagement or a multiyear strategic partnership to access grant for a longer-term development programme.

Home Building Fund

Through its Home Building Fund, Homes England can loan between £250,000 and £250m to cover development or infrastructure costs. Smaller loans for innovative housing solutions and serviced plots for custom builders are available. Interest is payable at transparent, pre-agreed variable rates. Sales income can be recycled to minimise the loan request.

The UK government is providing £220 million through the UK Community Renewal Fund to help local areas prepare for the launch of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2022. This Fund aims to support people and communities most in need across the UK to pilot programmes and new approaches and will invest in skills, community and place, local business, and supporting people into employment. All places across the UK are eligible for pilot funding. The funding will replace the EU Structural Fund which ends in 2023. Successful projects will be announced in July 2021 onwards.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will include:

A place-based portion which will target places most in need across the UK, such as ex-industrial areas, deprived towns and rural and coastal communities; and

A second portion of the Fund will be targeted differently to people most in need through bespoke employment and skills programmes that are tailored to local need. This will support improved employment outcomes for those in and out of work in specific cohorts of people who face labour market barriers.

North West Evergreen Fund Cultural Funds

The North West Evergreen fund provides development debt for a wide range of commercial, energy efficiency, low carbon energy generation, regeneration property, and infrastructure projects within Greater Manchester, Cheshire & Warrington and Lancashire. The Fund has £140m to invest and is supported by the European Regional Development Fund programmes 2007-2013 and 2014-2020, the JESSICA Programme, as well as by 16 local authority partners. The fund seeks to invest in projects where there is a clear benefit to the local employment, regeneration, environmental, and economic prospects that cannot access debt from traditional sources.

The fund was established in 2011 and has supported 21 projects including Citylabs 1, Didsbury Tech Park, Broadway Green, and Ince Loan 2.

Heritage Lottery Funding

Grants available ranging from £3,000 to millions of pounds. Monies must go towards heritage schemes which will deliver the following outcomes: heritage will be in better condition; heritage will be identified and better explained; and people will have learnt about heritage, leading to change in ideas and actions.

Arts Council

Individual artists and practictioners, community and cultural organisations, museums and libraries can apply for arts, museums and libraries projects that engage people in England with creativity and culture.

Museum Development Fund

Capital grants available between £50,000 and £5 million. To be eligible, applicants are required to be non-national Accredited museums based in England, and/or local authorities based in England who are responsible for maintenance of nonnational Accredited museum buildings. Through the fund it is expected that museums across England will improve their core infrastructure by tackling their maintenance backlogs and reduce the immediate risks to buildings, visitors, staff and collections due to improved core infrastructure.

Appendix O

Cultural Strategies continued

Delivery / Intervention Options

Some sites across the City Centre have barriers which have prevented them from being brought forward for development / investment. These barriers can be categorised as follows:

Viability gap

An issue affecting many local authorities, whereby the cost of development and risk, exceeds the sales / rental values, which minimises profit for private sector developers;

Land ownership/assembly

Fragmented land ownerships require a greater resource to assemble land, which can deter developers; and

Lack of demand from developers/occupiers

There may be either a lack of demand, or lack of evidence of demand for developers, who therefore

view sites as too risky, which affects viability. Also, there can be a lack of comparable evidence to demonstrate demand and values therefore making it difficult for developers to secure debt funding.

To assist with overcoming these barriers, the Council could adopt a number of intervention tools. These tools are indicated below. The tools have been categorised into those which require varying levels of effort and risk by the Council.

Appendix P Quantifying Development Impact Statement

The economic benefits from development is wide ranging and extends beyond the provision alone. This Statement explores the potential economic benefits which can be attributed to a residential development, from job creation to Council Tax Revenues. A theoretical scheme of 100 residential units is used to calculate the following potential economic benefits:

Job Creation;

Additional Spend in the Local Economy; New Homes Bonus; and Council Tax Revenues.

It should be noted that the figures in this Statement are indicative. However, they provide a realistic assessment of some of the economic benefits which can be attributed to a 100-unit residential scheme.

Job Creation

The delivery of development will have direct benefits through the creation of employment opportunities associated with the construction of the development and through additional spin-off employment opportunities e.g. site remediation, materials/ services suppliers, and end-use service providers (i.e. gardening, window cleaning etc.).

The ‘Economic Footprint of UK House Building in England and Wales’ report (HBF, July 2018) outlines the economic contribution that house building makes to the UK economy. Referencing research undertaken by Professor Michael Ball on behalf of the HBF and Construction Skills in 2005, the report seeks to quantify the number of direct jobs created by house building activity across the UK. It concludes that new housing developments create an industry average of 1 direct job per dwelling. On this basis, a residential scheme of 100 units has the potential to create 100 full time equivalent jobs (FTE).

In addition to direct, on-site employment, it is recognised that house building creates further indirect and induced employment opportunities. The HBF report makes reference to the National Federation Housing (2013) Housing and Economic Growth report which identifies an employment multiplier of 2.51 jobs per dwelling. For every 1 direct construction job, 1.51 indirect and induced jobs are created elsewhere in the supply chain and wider UK economy.

Additional Spend in the Local Economy

Further to job creation, the proposals will also result in additional spend within the local economy as a result of the increase in population. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) provides data on gross disposable household income (GDHI), the amount of money that all of the individuals in the household have available for spending or saving after income distribution measures (for example taxes, social contributions, and benefits) have taken effect. This therefore provides a useful indication of the available money a household might have to spend on recreational activities and non-essential purchases.

In the Chester Middle Layer Super Output Area, ONS data states a GDHI of £26,100 per head (based on 2018 figures).¹ Assuming an average of 2 adults per household, this results in a disposable income figure of £52,200 per unit, which equates to a total of £5,220,000 of disposable income per annum arising from a 100 scheme development. It would be reasonable to assume a large proportion of this total would likely be spent within Chester City Centre.

Construction Phase

Whilst it is difficult to quantify, there will also be additional income in the local economy as a result of the presence of construction workers. It is likely these workers will spend in local cafes and shops and may require the use of the public transport network. Similarly, construction workers that are not from the local area may require short term accommodation. www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/bulletins/ smallareamodelbasedincomeestimates/financialyearending2018#average-household-income-by-local-area

On this basis, further to the creation of approximately 100 direct full-time construction jobs, a 100-unit scheme has the potential to create approximately 150 indirect FTE employment opportunities.

The New Homes Bonus is a grant paid by Central Government to Local Authorities to reflect and incentivise housing growth in their areas. It is currently paid each year for 4 years and is based on the amount of extra Council Tax raised for new-build homes, as well as including an extra payment for providing affordable homes. In 2016 the Government introduced a national baseline of 0.4% housing growth below which grants will not be made.

To calculate the bonus, it is necessary to understand the Council Tax banding of residential properties. The Council Tax banding applied to a property is based on its value. There is not one tax band which predominates in Chester City Centre and therefore a range of tax bands B to E has been assumed for the purposes of this calculation.

A scheme of 100 dwellings would have the potential to generate between £152,293.38 and £239,317.88 per year for 4 years in New Homes Bonus, to a total of between £609,173.52 and £957,271.54. In addition, a bonus of £350 is paid per year for each affordable unit which is delivered.

Appendix O Quantifying Development Impact Statement continued New Homes Bonus Council Tax Revenues

Each new unit within the development will also generate Council Tax to the Local Authority. As stated above, it has been assumed that the units will fall between Council Tax Bands B and E.

CWaC currently charges £1,529.05 and £2,402.79 per year for dwellings falling within band B and E respectively. As such, and assuming that all residents are paying the full requirement, the development has the potential to generate between £152,905 and £240,279 in Council Tax revenues per year.

Summary & Conclusion

This Statement sets out the potential economic benefits which could be attributed to a 100-unit residential scheme in Chester City Centre. It concludes that such a scheme has the potential to generate the following:

The potential to support up to 100 FTE construction jobs;

The potential creation of 150 indirect employment opportunities;

Additional spend in the local economy from new residents with an average disposable income of £52,200 per household;

Additional spend in the local economy from construction workers;

Approximately generate between £609,173.52 and £957,271.54 in New Homes Bonus over 4 years; and

Approximately generate between £152,905 and £240,279 in Council Tax Revenues per year.

These benefits are not insignificant in nature and will contribute significantly to the income of the local authority and the local economy. Consequently, they should be seen as a key benefit of delivering residential development in Chester City Centre.