Chester’s Grosvenor Park may get £3.8m make-over

Dec 24 2009 Chester Chronicle

A £3.8M PROJECT to restore and develop Chester’s much-loved Victorian Grosvenor Park has been given the green light to progress to the next stage.

A blueprint is being worked up by Cheshire West and Chester Council to reinstate some of the key features of the original park that have been lost over the years.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has given approval for the plans to move to the second stage of the application process which could eventually result in £2.3m of funding.

The project would conserve Grosvenor Park’s features, including the lake and Jacob’s Well, restoring the original park landscape and lodge.

At the same time the project would transform underused and dilapidated areas of the park.

A new ‘natural play’ area would be created and restore views to the River Dee and beyond.

Grosvenor Park was laid out in 1867 as a gift to the city of Chester from Richard Grosvenor, the second Marquis of Westminster.

The landscape was designed by Edward Kemp, and his design is still very much in evidence.

Cheshire architect John Douglas designed the Park Lodge – the first use of the distinctive Cheshire black and white style. The lodge will be restored as part of the project and developed into a park café.

Cllr Richard Short, executive member for culture and recreation said: “We will be working hard to show the Heritage Lottery Fund that the plans we have will be successful and will build on the success of Grosvenor Park for generations to come.”

The funding bid follows a similar application by Chester City Council which failed after the HLF decided there were more deserving places where funding would have a stronger social and regeneration impact.