The Library section of the site contains key documents relating to the development and will be updated regularly.
Northgate Development Update
JULY 2005 UPDATE
Road Closure Order and Public Exhibition
Following the signing of the Section 106 Agreement and the issuing of the planning permission on 6th June, the developer made an application to close the roads in the area, a Road Closure Order, of the Northgate Development.
The application was made to the Government Office for the North West and the public are invited to make comments on the proposals until 8th August. The application, including maps showing the roads to be closed and new ones to be opened and a description, is held at Planning Reception in the City Council’s offices in the Forum. The application has been advertised in the local paper and on the site. Any objections to the proposals under the Road Closure Order need to be submitted to the Government Office for the North West by Monday 8 August.
6 June 2005
On 6th June another milestone in Chester's largest re-development project was achieved. The City Council and the developers ING Real Estate signed the Section 106 Legal Agreement. This means the planning permission has been issued and signifies another step forward in the commitment by the developers to the scheme.
April 2005
Chester City Council has made an application to the First Secretary of State to close the existing Chester Market Hall to enable the comprehensive redevelopment of the area to take place. The Market Hall will be relocated to a new site fronting Northgate St.
The application was made on 26th April 2005 and details are on this web site.
The application is advertised within the market hall and in the local press.
November 2004
House of Fraser Sign up to Northgate
Northgate Limited Partnership (a limited partnership set up by ING Real Estate Development UK) has pre-let the 14,894 sq m (160,000 sq ft) department store within Chester’s Northgate scheme to House of Fraser.
House of Fraser has taken a 35 year lease on the anchor unit located to the northwest of the scheme which comprises a further 60 units, including three major store unit’s.
Northgate will provide 41,000 sq m (440,000 sq ft) of new retail space, a new performing arts centre, library, market hall, bus station, Council offices, several civic squares, as well as 112 new residential apartments.
The scheme will replace the existing Forum shopping centre and Gateway theatre, and move the library and market hall.
The plans for the substantial redevelopment of an under-utilised area of Chester town centre comprises a site fronting onto Northgate Street and behind Watergate Street, and encompasses much of the northwest quarter of the city inside the famous Roman ‘walls’. The historic town hall will remain untouched at the heart of the development, along with all other buildings of architectural and historical importance.
An open style streetscape will be reintroduced based on the historic street pattern lost 30 years ago. The new quarter will integrate with the city’s historic townscape with modern buildings providing two level ‘rows’ of shops.
October 2004
The Northgate Development Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) was made on 28th September. Everyone who has an interest in the land affected by this large multi-use development is being sent a statutory Notice.
November 2003
1. Before the planning permission is released certain legal documents are agreed and signed by ING and the City Council. At present there are no new drawings of the scheme but more will be produced during 2004, once the legal documentation is signed and the compulsory purchase order is confirmed.
2. The Section 106 Legal Agreement is nearing completion and makes specific obligations on the developer eg. to provide of 25% of the dwellings as affordable or low cost units and the implementation of highway works outside the site. It is anticipated that the agreement will be signed by both parties before the end of this year.
3. The Development Agreement is nearing completion and sets out the terms under which the scheme can be built and the specifications for the civic buildings, such as the library, market, bus station and performing arts centre.
4. In order to prepare the Compulsory Purchase Order all the owners and occupiers of properties within the Northgate site and immediately adjacent land have been sent forms requesting information about their ownership and rights. As a result of the information provided a “schedule of interests” has been prepared, plus a map of the area which is to be compulsorily purchased by the Council. The CPO is to be submitted to the Government Office for the North West in the next month. There is likely to be a public inquiry into the CPO next Spring, to deal with objections.
5. ING are continuing to negotiate with owners to purchase properties within the scheme.
6. As part of the scheme the City Council’s offices are re-located – to Gorse Stacks and a planning application is due to be submitted during November.
7. ING’s Public Information Centre in the Forum shopping centre is open Wednesday to Saturday 10.00am until 4.00pm. During its first month of opening it attracted nearly 1,500 visitors and over 90% of them support the proposal.
August 2003
1. Following the news that the Secretary of State for the Environment did not wish to call in the application for a public inquiry, the conditions attached to the planning permission have been progressed.
2. The next step is for ING (the developer) and the Council to sign the Section 106 Legal Agreement and the planning permission will be released.
3. The Council and ING are hoping to sign the Development Agreement in September. This Agreement sets out the terms under which the scheme can be built and the specifications for the civic buildings, such as the library, market, bus station and performing arts centre.
4. The team is currently working on the Compulsory Purchase Order and Notices are being sent out to all the land owners and tenants requesting information about their ownership and rights.
5. A plan of the area covered by the CPO is available in Acrobat PDF format (95KB)
May 2003
1. Following the Council resolution to grant permission on 26th March the application was sent to the Government Office for the North West (GoNW).
2. GoNW has notified the Council that the application is not to be called in for determination by Secretary of State and there will be no public inquiry.
3. The reason is that the proposal does not raise issues of such significance which should be determined by the Secretary of State. In other words, the issues it raises are of local significance only and therefore the application should be determined by the Council.
4. This news is a significant milestone in the life of the project.
The scheme will be started once the planning permission has been issued and legal documents completed, probably mid 2004.
April 2003
1. The public consultation period on the amended plans for the scheme ended on 4th February 2003.
2. The application was considered by the Planning Board on 12th March. The Board recommended to the Council that permission be granted subject to conditions and legal agreements.
3. The Council resolved to grant permission on 26th March and the application has been sent to the Government Office for the North West (GoNW)
4. GoNW will determine whether the Council can decide the application or whether it should be called in for a public inquiry.
5. Conservation Area Consent has been granted for the demolition of buildings within the site.
6. The scheme will be started once the response from the GoNW has been received, the planning permission issued and legal documents completed. Commenced should be later on this year.
January 2003
1. In Autumn last year the developer, London and Amsterdam, was asked to make amendments to the planning application and supporting documentation for this mixed use development in the City Centre.
2. The amendments have been received and the public is invited to inspect the plans, supporting documents and amended model.
3. The consultation period takes place during January and comments must be submitted in writing by 3rd February 2003 to Judith Gordon, Planning Officer, Development Services, Chester City Council, The Forum, Chester.
4. The main changes are:
Library – completely new design
Crook Street - a new landmark building at the end of Cathedral Walk and revised design to the Variety Store.
Car Park – different treatment to the elevation.
Bus station - removal of the acoustic barrier between New Hunter St and bus station.
New Hunter Street – new buildings along the boundary with the rear of King Street to accommodate an extension to 5 Kings Court, 5 new affordable residential units, storage rooms and bus driver facilities.
Cathedral Walk - removal of bridges across the street, which impeded views of the Cathedral.
5. The Next Steps - once the consultation period has ended the comments will be considered and it is hoped the application will be considered by the Planning Board on 12th March. It will be referred to Council on 26th March. It will then be sent to the Government Office for the North West who will decide whether or not to “call in” the. If “called in” it will be the subject of a public inquiry.
6. Separate applications have been submitted for:
conservation area consent for the demolition of buildings
listed building consent for alterations to the Town Hall and the rear of properties on Watergate Street and King Street.
October 2002
The public consultation period for the planning application ended in the middle of August. The responses have been analysed and consequently the developer has been asked to make amendments or submit additional information, in order to make the development acceptable and for the Local Planning Authority to make a decision.
A full version of the LPA’s letter and appendices are available at Development Services reception, 2nd floor, Forum Offices.
Once amendments are received, hopefully during November, there will be a second round of public consultation (date to be confirmed).
The developer has been asked to respond to the following main issues which are noted in the documents below..
Planning Application Update - October 2002 
Northgate Development Update Report - May 2002