Chapter 11

 

Urban Renaissance

 

11.1“The Government’s aim is to create high quality towns and cities which people can be proud to live in. They must be attractive, clean, safe and well cared for, combining vitality and interest with practicality, sensitivity to the environment and continuity with the past. They must be well designed and planned, and make the best use of previously developed land and buildings” – Delivering an Urban Renaissance, Urban White Paper (November 2000)

 

Introduction

11.2 One of the main objectives of the Government’s Modernising Planning Agenda, and the 2000 Urban White Paper is to promote “Urban Renaissance” through the revitalisation of towns and cities.

11.3 Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing, sets out the Government’s policy on housing, which is to:

“… ensure that housing is developed in suitable locations which offer a range of community facilities and with good access to jobs, key services and infrastructure. This should be achieved by making effective use of land, existing infrastructure and available public and private investment, and include consideration of the opportunity for housing on surplus public sector land … to create mixed-use developments. The priority for development should be previously developed land, in particular vacant and derelict sites and buildings.”

11.4 Local planning authorities should make effective use of land by re-using land that has been previously developed:

“The national annual target is that at least 60 per cent of new housing should be provided on previously developed land. This includes land and buildings that are vacant or derelict as well as land that is currently in use but which has potential for redevelopment.”

11.5 Local planning authorities should also make efficient use of land by developing policies for housing density, having regard to a range of factors including:

• the spatial vision and strategy for housing development
• the current and future level and capacity of infrastructure, services and facilities such as public and private amenity space, in particular green and open space
• the desirability of using land efficiently and reducing, and adapting to, the impacts of climate change
• the current and future levels of accessibility, particularly public transport accessibility
• the characteristics of the areas, including the current and proposed mix of uses
• the desirability of achieving high quality, well-designed housing

11.6 Chester City Council is strongly committed to the regeneration of older urban areas of the city, and the promotion of an holistic approach to improving the quality and vitality of all facets of life in the city.

11.7 There are a number of key regeneration areas allocated in the Plan for a range of uses, including Old Port/Tower Wharf and Commonhall Street, for which development briefs/masterplans have been prepared. 

11.8 Moreover detailed proposals have also been drawn up for several other parts of the city such as, The Castle/Police Headquarters, Northgate area and the Amphitheatre.

11.9 However, there is a large area around the northern and eastern fringes of the city centre, extending from Northgate, through Gorse Stacks and the railway lands and along the canal corridor to Hoole Lane.  This has historically been the location for a wide variety of uses, ranging from high-density residential blocks and streets, to older industrial operations, transport infrastructure, localised retailing etc.

11.10 The area currently contains a considerable amount of derelict and underused land and buildings.  Whilst it has recently been the focus of an increasing degree of development activity, it has always been suspected that there remains a significant further potential, which remains unrealised, or has come forward in a relatively piecemeal fashion.

11.11 As the Local Plan was being prepared the whole of this area was designated as an Action Area, in accordance with the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 para.12 (8).  This stated that Local Plans may “designate any part of the local authority’s area as an Action Area.  That is to say, an area they have selected for the commencement during the prescribed period for comprehensive treatment by development, redevelopment or improvement (or partly by one and partly by another method).  If an area is so designated then the Local Plan shall contain a description of the treatment proposed by the authority.” (The Development Plan Regulations 1999 stated that the prescribed period is 10 years for action areas.)

11.12 The boundaries of the Action Area are identified on the Proposals Map.  Within it, wider public, private and voluntary sector regeneration activities are complemented by Local Plan policies and a number of more detailed development briefs.  These establish the context for the development of both allocated and unallocated land.  They have been the subject of consultation and have been adopted by the Council as Supplementary Planning Guidance.  As such they will be taken in to account as material considerations in assessing planning applications.

11.13 Within the Action Area some specific land use allocations have been made, where a degree of certainty exists, and these are shown on the Proposals Map together with features worthy of protection for landscape or conservation reasons.  Proposals for other sites will be considered on their merits, in the context of the Local Plan policies, and in accordance with the accompanying Supplementary Planning Guidance.

11.14 The objective throughout the Action Area is to bring redundant, underused or environmentally degraded sites back into productive use for the environmental, social and economic benefit of the city.  The emphasis will be upon promoting and facilitating genuine mixed-use and breaking down the barriers between home, work and leisure.  The development briefs and associated policies will provide sufficient flexibility for the area to evolve and change over time, whilst at the same time ensuring that this is achieved in a well managed, co-ordinated way.  The aim will be to maximise diversity, whilst promoting consistently high quality, locally-distinctive design, and delivering jobs, homes, community facilities and leisure opportunities for new and existing residents.

11.15 The following policies set out the broad principles which will apply to all new development in the area.

Policy Urbran 1

Reason/Explanation

The achievement of an appropriate density and mix of uses is essential to encourage vitality, reinforce community and promote long term sustainability by: making more economic use of land; encouraging a critical mass of population; and bringing homes, jobs, shopping, leisure, cultural and social facilities closer together, thereby minimising trips and maximising the potential for more walking, cycling and public transport use.

 

There is a need to move away from traditional land use zoning, and through creative and imaginative design, to weave variety into all new schemes.

 

All of the above sites will be expected to provide for the indicated range of uses unless it can be shown conclusively that the preferred mix of uses could not be economically provided and that it would undermine the plan’s objectives. Should additional uses be proposed, then they will be judged on their merits according to the location and nature of the development, and the degree to which they complement the associated development, and the contribution that they make to the Council’s overall objectives for the area.

 

It is particularly important to ensure an appropriate housing mix, with social and private housing co-existing and complementing each other in a variety of house types and tenures. To this end indicative numbers of units have been included in the policy for each residential site, together with an indication of the amount of affordable housing which the Council will expect to be delivered, in accordance with the requirements of Policy HO 3.

 

The configuration of uses and the numbers of units proposed for each site have been determined according to the relative accessibility of the location; the character of the surrounding area; and the need for a variety of house types and tenure as identified in the Housing Needs Survey.

 

The Council has worked with developers, local people and other interested parties to produce development briefs for the above sites in accordance with the policies of the Local Plan and principles contained in the Action Area Plan.

Policy Urbren 2

Reason/Explanation

Development Briefs have been prepared to provide more detailed guidance on future development in the North East Urban Action Area. These will be material considerations in the determination of all planning applications in the area. The Council will expect development proposals to accord with this supplementary planning guidance, and with the requirements of any other relevant Local Plan policies.

 

The objective throughout the Action Area is to create successful urban neighbourhoods. To this end all development will be expected to build upon existing physical, social, economic and environmental assets, and to respect the character, needs and distinctiveness of existing communities, whilst providing new and enhanced opportunities for the future.

 

The emphasis will be upon promoting and facilitating genuine high quality, mixed-use development, breaking down the barriers between home, work and leisure. The development briefs and above policy do not aim to set out a prescriptive blueprint or to stifle creativity, but instead provide guidance to ensure that all new developments contribute to the co-ordinated and holistic renewal of the area, whilst allowing sufficient flexibility to enable evolution and change over time.

 

The ultimate objective is to encourage sustainable investment in the area, which maximises diversity of uses, promotes consistently high quality, locally-distinctive design, and delivers jobs, homes, community facilities and leisure opportunities for all existing and future residents.

 

Wherever possible, development should, therefore, incorporate a mix of uses, appropriate to the location and nature of the site and in accordance with the detailed development briefs and masterplans.

 

Proposals involving new residential development should incorporate a variety of house types and tenures, as appropriate. Affordable housing will be sought in accordance with the requirements of policy HO 3; provision for open space as required by policies SR 5, SR 6 and SR 7. Within the Action Area, there may be the opportunity to contribute to open space requirements creatively, for example, the incorporation of opportunities for play in public squares or the provision of public art which offers play potential.

 

In order to maintain and enhance the diversity of the area and the potential for community development, proposals should, where appropriate, make a positive contribution to the maintenance, enhancement and safe accessibility of local community facilities.

 

The Council will expect development proposals to enhance the public realm. This may be achieved in a number of ways, such as incorporating measures to design out crime, making provision for public art and contributing to the District Lighting Strategy, as appropriate.

 

New buildings and landscaping should be of high quality design and materials. The design, construction and configuration of new or converted buildings should aim to maximise energy efficiency.

 

The area has been divided into three separate but interrelated quarters to which various distinct principles will apply. Amongst other things the development briefs address transport and access throughout the Action Area. In principle this comprises the pedestrian, cycle and public transport networks already detailed in the wider development plan, together with commentaries on parking and traffic management issues.

 

Northgate/Gorse Stacks

Here there will be a strong emphasis upon the promotion of high profile commercial, leisure and transport uses which complement activity in the adjacent city centre, with a modest amount of residential development to bring more activity into a relatively lifeless part of the city.

 

The area spans two key gateways into the city at Frodsham Street and Northgate, and there is potential to create new landmarks to complement views of existing features such as the Cathedral and the Town Hall. However, in general the area lacks any clearly identifiable character and legibility. It comprises a number of anonymous, ill defined open spaces, such as Northgate and Gorse Stacks car parks, punctuated by a series of unremarkable and somewhat monolithic buildings such as the Northgate Arena, the Fire Station, several municipal high rise residential blocks and the bingo hall.

 

The inner ring road bisects the area, obliterating historic urban form, severing existing residential communities from the city centre and in turn, cutting the city off from the railway station to the north. Any new development in this area will need to contribute to the restoration of a more legible and human urban grain; create strong and active frontages; increase the density and mix of development; rationalise car parking provision; ‘humanise’ the inner ring road; reinstate surface level linkages for pedestrians along key routes, for example Brook Street, and capitalise upon the opportunities presented by the canal corridor.

 

Railway lands

This area is typical of many railway hinterlands. It contains large tracts of underused former industrial land and spans a critical area between the predominantly residential neighbourhoods of Hoole to the north, and, the more mixed urban areas around the fringes of the city centre to the south.

 

There is scope for the provision of a variety of housing ranging from medium density traditional residential development to the north and west of Hoole Road, to high density town houses, flats and apartments close to the railway station. There is ample opportunity for significant improvements to the public realm, particularly around the Station Square/City Road and along the length of Brook Street and Hoole Way, which not only act as important links between the main railway station and the city centre, but (in the case of Brook Street) also provides a valuable service and retail centre for surrounding local communities. Accessibility needs to be improved for all modes in the vicinity of the existing Hoole Bridge and around the Hoole Way junctions with Brook Street and St. Oswalds Way, particularly for public transport, walking and cycling.

 

Boughton Canal Corridor

This area extends from Cow Lane Basin in the west, along the length of the canal corridor to Hoole Lane in the east. It was the focus of significant industrial activity in the nineteenth century. The historic fabric and street pattern remains relatively intact in parts. There are a number of former warehouses and factories that are increasingly becoming the focus for mixed-use redevelopment. There are several, attractive, fine grain, streets radiating from the canal which offer the potential to create a series of through routes, offering the opportunity to enhance variety and choice of movement and promote overall permeability. The primary school and health centre to the south of the canal provide a strong focus for community activity, and, there is a cluster of neighbourhood and specialist shops and services along the Boughton corridor.

 

All new development in the area will be expected to contribute to improvements to the public realm particularly in the vicinity of the canal. The creation of new bridges over the canal and improvement of existing crossings of the canal and local roads would significantly improve north/south accessibility for walking and cycling. In addition these would provide new linkages between the Railway Station and the Boughton/The Bars/city centre areas. Measures should also be introduced to reduce the hostility of the Boughton corridor especially towards crossing movements by pedestrians and cyclists. Reducing these threats through the creation of surface level crossings would open up access to valuable open space and recreation opportunities at Grosvenor Park and the river environs. Rat-running of motor vehicles through the area will be reduced through changes to traffic management.

 

It is envisaged that the area will be the focus for a vibrant mix of uses, with an emphasis on the integration of small to medium sized flexible workspaces, high quality cultural/tourist activities, medium to high density mixed tenure homes, interspersed with high quality public open space and accessible and thriving community facilities.

 

Monitoring

11.16 The following issues arising from this chapter will be monitored during the plan period.  This information will help in the application of policies and will be used to assess their effectiveness:

• monitoring the take up of the allocated sites
• monitoring the mix of uses achieved on each site, levels of parking and open space, urban realm improvements

 

Environmental Appraisal of Policeis and Proposals

 

Global Sustainability

11.17 The effect these proposals are likely to have on global sustainability is difficult to determine at this stage, given the lack of design detail for the sites affected by the policy.  However, replacing older buildings with more modern development will necessarily incorporate more energy efficient designs under current building regulations.

11.18 The policies’ emphasis on mixed-use specifically encourages cycling, walking and use of public transport by bringing housing, services and employment closer together with the aim of minimising the use of private motor vehicles.

 

Natural Resources

11.19 Redevelopment of sites could include provision of new additional greenspaces as part of any development schemes. The policies are also directed at brownfield sites in the urban centre only and will therefore have no adverse impact on extra-urban greenspaces and habitats.

11.20 The sites covered by the policy are very diverse and it is therefore difficult to assess whether redevelopment will cause the rate of consumption to increase or decrease.  It is safe to assume, however, that new housing allocations will generate more waste.

11.21 Any effect on pollution levels will depend on the success of the provision for promotion of sustainable forms of transport.  Redevelopment of brownfield land will entail a clean up of any contamination and should therefore ensure that on-site water and soil quality is improved.

 

Local Environment

11.22 The policies should have a positive impact on character of the urban environment by encouraging the redevelopment of derelict sites with good quality design and landscaping.

 

Environmental Impact Significance

11.23 Regeneration of brownfield sites in Chester will have a positive impact on the local environment. The policies require development to incorporate imaginative, high quality design and promote the creation of successful urban neighbourhoods. Co-location of employment, residential and service uses is sustainable and will provide new jobs and much-needed homes within the District.