Chapter 10

 

Culture and Leisure

 

Introduction

10.1This chapter covers Chester's cultural heritage and the activities which compliment it such as entertainment, cafes, pubs, restaurants and speciality retailing. In effect, it provides the physical framework for the implementation of the Council's Cultural Strategy.

10.2 The first part of the chapter refers to the Council's Cultural Strategy, concentrating in particular on its overall aims. This is then followed by the policies and proposals which are set out under different sections.

10.3 The Cultural Strategy inter-relates directly with other key areas of the Local Plan, especially the section on conservation areas in the chapter on the Environment and the section on tourism in the chapter on the Economy.

 

The Council's Cultural Strategy

10.4 This strategy is broad in scope and aims to ensure that Chester derives maximum benefit from sustaining a lively cultural and entertainment scene. Culture is considered to be an important part of the development strategy for Chester, making a major contribution to the social and economic welfare of its people and businesses. The strategy reviewed the following areas:

• cultural buildings, including those used for entertainment
• cultural programme
• festivals
• access and participation
• fabric of the city and the public domain
• market potential
• cultural tourism
• cultural industries

10.5 Special emphasis is laid on the significance of culture in Chester's local economy because of its strong position as a heritage city at a time when cultural tourism is growing nationally.  However, it also examines key challenges in the competitive environment and weaknesses in Chester's cultural life. It concludes that strengthening and diversifying Chester's cultural life is an essential strategy to help retain market share in the face of greatly increased competition from other British cities and now from Eastern Europe.

10.6 Having identified key challenges the document then sets out a series of strategic aims and indicates how these are to be achieved through various initiatives. Some of these have important land-use implications and are included in this chapter. The aims of the Cultural Strategy are to:

• establish a forward looking image and reputation as a cultural city
• make Chester the best informed city in matters of its history and heritage
• enhance the quality of life for residents through breadth and choice in arts and culture
• operate as a high quality, cohesive and understandable public realm which reinforces Chester's unique sense of place and promotes the exploration of the place and what it has to offer
• help diversify and develop Chester's economy

 

Policies and Proposals

 

Cultural Buildings

10.7 Cultural buildings are those associated with the arts such as theatres, concert venues, art galleries and museums. They also include entertainment venues such as cinemas, night clubs, pubs, cafes, restaurants and bingo halls.

10.8 The Cultural Strategy identifies the following as the main cultural buildings in Chester:

• the Gateway Theatre
• the Grosvenor Museum
• the Cineworld and Odeon Cinemas
• the Central Library

10.9 In addition to these there are many other buildings of various scale and status which play an important role in the cultural and entertainment life of the city, e.g. the Little Theatre in Newtown. Many of these are churches. In addition much of Chester's cultural life takes place on the streets or in outdoor locations.

10.10 These buildings are traditional meeting points for large numbers of people and add character and focus to the city.  In suburban and rural locations, parish halls and community centres play an equally important role hosting performances, arts workshops and other activities.

10.11 The Cultural Strategy concludes that the Gateway Theatre and Grosvenor Museum suffer from cramped conditions in staff, storage and public areas. For a city of this size and status, Chester is not well endowed with a range of cultural buildings. The loss of the Arts Centre on the current library site was a severe loss to Chester's cultural life.

10.12 The Cultural Strategy required that the Museum and the Castle Area should be the subject of a feasibility study to determine the potential and a strategy for further development. A Chester Castle Planning Brief has been adopted.

10.13 The Gateway Theatre is in a poor location, on a side street, where the large numbers of visitors in the evenings in particular do nothing to animate the city centre.  The building is on a constrained site with cramped public areas.  The production of the Cultural Strategy highlighted the need for a flagship performing arts venue. This has been incorporated into the masterplan for the Northgate Development which includes a new performing arts venue to replace the Gateway Theatre.

10.14 Cultural buildings and entertainment venues create a sense of identity and character to an area. They attract a range of daytime and evening uses which generate a sense of excitement and safety. They encourage the development of complementary businesses like cafes, pubs, restaurants and speciality retailing.  It is important to maximise this regenerative and character-building role by ensuring that any development taking place in the proximity of arts, entertainment and cultural facilities should be compatible with the character and functions of the area.

10.15 Furthermore, where development necessitates the demolition of an arts building or entertainment venue, then provision should be made to replace fully the facility.

Policy CU 1

The demolition or change of use of buildings used or last used for cultural or entertainment purposes will not be allowed unless they are replaced by buildings of equal value.

Reason/Explanation

To safeguard and maintain buildings which make an important contribution to the cultural, social, economic and street life of the District.

 

Cultural buildings are those associated with the arts such as theatres, concert venues, art galleries and museums. Entertainment buildings include cinemas, night clubs, pubs, cafes, restaurants and bingo halls.

 

The Cultural Strategy identifies important cultural and entertainment buildings in the city, and highlights opportunities for enhanced and increased provision. The contents of this strategy will inform the application of this policy in the urban area.

 

When considering proposals for the demolition or change of use of cultural or entertainment buildings in the rural area, the Council will take account of the function that the facility plays within the local community and the existence of alternative facilities in the surrounding area.

 

Where proposals for development involve the loss or partial loss of sites designated under policy ENV 17 for their cultural value only, then the approach set out in policy CU 1 will apply.

Policy CU 2

Reason/Explanation

Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres recognises the increasing role of cultural, arts and entertainment facilities within urban centres and their connection with shopping.

 

Chester city centre offers accessibility by public transport and is the most appropriate location for activities which attract a lot of people. Such uses add variety to the city centre and help to maintain its vitality and viability.

 

In the event of proposals for the development of cultural, arts and entertainment facilities outside the urban area, these will be considered on their merits having regard to any other relevant policies in the Local Plan. Where cultural, arts or entertainment facilities are proposed which are aimed to serve more localised areas, a sequential approach as summarised above will be applied. Facilities should be located in village or suburban centres; if there are no suitable sites available then edge of centre sites may be permitted. Only if no centre or edge of centre locations are available would other locations be considered.

 

Developers will be required to be flexible regarding the format of development to respect local circumstances, in terms of scale, design, format and parking.

 

Cultural Areas and Historic Sites

10.6 Chester is an historic city of international importance and as such the maintenance of its physical fabric is important. Visitor surveys have illustrated the importance of the ambience of the city in attracting visitors. A distinctive and attractive public domain is a great resource for local people and adds significantly to the quality of life, sense of local pride and identity.

10.7 The Cultural Strategy identifies a need to maintain and enhance the public domain and to designate key areas as Culture/Heritage areas, both to bring to the fore the historic significance of the area and to encourage the critical massing of cultural or related businesses. This helps to create a strong identity and function for the area in cultural, social and economic terms. By developing certain areas of Chester in this way, visitor management would be greatly enhanced and better use made of the city's under-explored areas.

Policy CU 3

Reason/Explanation

To protect and emphasise the importance of these areas for the contribution they make to the cultural, economic and social life of the city.

 

This does not mean that any development taking place in either of these areas should be exclusively historic or cultural in orientation and it is essential to place the widest possible interpretation on "cultural". It does mean, however, that any development within these areas should protect their historic character and be compatible with the existing cultural activities.

 

The Council does not envisage any development taking place on the strategic open spaces within these areas, as defined in Policy ENV 15 in the section on Urban and Rural Landscape in the chapter on The Environment.

 

(See also Policy EC 3 in the section on Employment Land and Buildings in the Economy chapter and Policy EC 14 in the section on Tourism in the same chapter)

 

The City Walls

10.18 It is important that any developments in the environs of the city walls should adopt the principle of compatibility of character and function with a monument of international historic importance and great architectural and townscape merit.

 

Street Events

10.19 There is a tradition in Chester of arts activities taking place in public spaces. This is a feature of Chester's social life which is much envied and copied by other cities.  This has come to be as much a defining feature of Chester as its distinctive architecture.  The findings of visitor surveys reinforce this view. The Cultural Strategy aims to encourage and enhance this aspect of local life which includes street entertainers, the Chester Mystery Plays and festival programming and parades.

10.20 Expansion of pedestrianisation in the city centre has created much more space for the pedestrian to enjoy. Street cafés are important ways to add colour, life and vitality to the city centre streets and reinforce Chester's character as a people's place and cultural focus. It is the Council's intention, therefore, to encourage the use of this newly created space for the location of street cafés.

Policy CU 4

Reason/Explanation

In order to encourage additional activity into the city centre, and to protect the safety and amenity of the area.

 

The Council will expect a high quality of street furniture.

 

Further information on the establishment of street cafés is provided in the Guidance Note: Chester Alfresco.

 

10.21 In conjunction with continued traffic calming in the city centre and new developments, it is proposed to establish an open market place in the city centre. The refurbishment of the Town Hall Square will provide an opportunity for this.

10.22 This will further enforce Chester's sense of place and provide colour and vitality to the city centre.

 

Cultural Industries

10.23 Cultural industries are those commercial businesses whose orientation is largely creative, e.g. graphic designers or those whose products serve the cultural sector. The cultural industries sector is a growing sector, usually small businesses, often linked into the media and broadcasting. Such businesses make an important contribution to the local economy and complement the overall cultural life of Chester.

10.24 Policy EC 3 in the Employment section of the Economy chapter identifies areas where provision can be made for managed workspace or workshop premises suitable for cultural industries, arts and small businesses.

10.25 The Council wishes to encourage the provision of managed work space, workshop premises or other employment space for cultural industries, arts and small businesses in addition to those areas identified in Policy EC 3.

 

The Fabric of the City and the Public Domain

10.26 Chester's system of streets, spaces, Rows and Walls provide a unique experience. This character not only forms the context in which cultural pursuits take place but also affects how visitors and residents alike explore and discover what Chester has to offer. Chester's townscape and architectural qualities together with its history are its key cultural assets. The Urban Design and Conservation sections in the Environment chapter seek to ensure that these cultural assets are reinforced, enhanced and properly interpreted.

 

Monitoring

10.27 The following issues arising from this chapter will be monitored during the Plan period.  This information will inform the application of policies and will help to assess their effectiveness:

• loss of existing cultural and entertainment buildings to other uses
• the location of new cultural and entertainment buildings in terms of the sequential test set out in policy CU 2

 

Environmental Appraisal of Policeis and Proposals

 

Global Sustainability

10.28 The Council's aim to ensure Chester derives maximum benefit from sustaining a lively cultural scene has little impact upon global sustainability.

 

Natural Resources

10.29 With regard to the use of natural resources, the cultural policies promote the re-use of existing buildings and, therefore, are environmentally friendly relating to recycling of resources and limiting landtake.

10.30 Due to the recycling aspect of these policies and the general use of the existing built environment, it can be deduced from the appraisal that the impact of the policies on other natural resources, such as air quality and waste, will be limited.

 

Local Environment

10.31 The Local Plan considers that culture makes a considerable contribution to the social and economic welfare of the people and businesses of Chester.

10.32 Therefore, it is not surprising that the appraisal shows a very positive impact on the local environment. The appraisal indicates that the policies have a major positive impact on the environmental quality of life in Chester and the villages, safeguarding cultural heritage, retaining public open spaces and maintaining the quality of buildings.

 

Environmental Impact Significance

10.33 The appraisal shows that the negative impact of the cultural policies is minimal in relation to global sustainability and uptake of natural resources, whereas there is a very positive affect upon the local environment and the quality of life.