A £300m scheme aimed at securing Chester’s place as a regional shopping destination has moved a step closer with the appointment of a design and development team.
London-based real estate developer Rivington Land and architect ACME, which designed the city’s original master plan, will lead the mixed-use retail and leisure project. Their first deadline will be to have all planning consents in place by the autumn of next year.
In line with ACME’s blueprint for the Cheshire city the first phase of the development will see a multiplex-cinema, market hall, food court and a 1,000 vehicle car park completed by late 2017 with a new retail centre following within two years. It’s hoped the scheme will create at least 1,500 permanent jobs and attract an extra £143m into the city.
Cheshire West and Chester Council own all the land for the first phase of Northgate and 85 per cent of the overall site. It intends to secure the remaining assets through negotiation and compulsory purchase. Last year it acquired a key plot from Dutch multinational banking and financial services group ING.
To oversee the project Rivington, which will lead the scheme through the planning process, attract investor interest and secure retail and leisure tenants, will open a Chester office later this summer.
“We are utterly delighted to have been chosen as development manager for the Northgate scheme,” said Rivington chief executive David Lewis. “This is an outstanding opportunity to create a fantastic commercial retail environment in the heart of one of England’s most attractive and distinctive cities.”
ACME specialises in urban regeneration design and completed the initial One City Plan last year. “Chester is a very special place and we have greatly enjoyed working on the master plan concept for Northgate with the city and its people over the last two years,” commented project director Catherine Hennessy. “It is a privilege to be a part of the team that will see the Northgate scheme move forward from vision to reality.”
Among her company’s other major projects are Victoria Gate in Leeds, Watermark in Southampton, Birmingham’s Smithfield and Sheffield’s Sevenstone schemes, and the Bishopsgate Goodsyard development in London.
While Chester remains a popular day visitor and tourism destination it has fallen down the national league table of regional retail centres in recent years. The results of a council commissioned survey show suggest, however, that once Northgate is completed the city has the potential to become the fourth largest shopping destination in the North West.
Samantha Dixon is a member of the council’s Northgate Cross-Party Working Group. “Our goal is the regeneration of the whole of Chester city centre for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors,” she said. “The experience, expertise and commitment that the development and design teams bring with them will help us move towards achieving that goal.”
