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