CAMPAIGNERS are once again concerned about the height of a building proposed for Chester’s famous riverside in a re-run of a previous battle.
Applicants Delamere Palatine had hoped its proposals, centred on The Groves bar and bistro, would get a warmer reception compared with an earlier more contemporary design rejected by Chester City Council following concerns.
Campaign group Save The Groves is once again worried about the height of the scheme – which would accommodate a restaurant, retail units and apartments – fearing it will detract from adjacent City Walls.
Leading member Paul Eeles, owner of the Riverside Takeaway, said: “I welcome the proposal to bring investment and a balanced provision of tourist facilities but the proposed residential element is too big, too brash and far too dominant for this sight. The developers should be made to reduce the height and mass, and rake the profile to complement the rise of the Roman Gardens.”
Mr Eeles said: “We challenge the developers and their architects to publish the real viewpoints in their possession. These will clearly show views to and from the City Walls and the Watch Tower obscured forever.”
Mr Eeles added: “We encourage everyone, residents and visitors, to make their feeling known to the City Council Planning department before the deadline on Tuesday.
“This proposal is once again breathtakingly inappropriate.”
Stephen Buckle of Earlsway, Chester, said in his objection that he was concerned the scheme would mean the removal of trees.
He said: “Recently sections of the City walls have been damaged by land movement. Removing mature trees from below
another section is bound to cause issues to the wall's supporting embankment. This is beside the aesthetic value of the trees being lost.”
Architect John Tweed, of Chester-based Tweed Nuttall Warburton and the developers want to answer all the points in full for The Chronicle next week but Mr Tweed was keen to stress the images provided are accurate.
He said: “I’m a Cestrian. I live in the city. I’m fascinated by it and I want to contribute to it, I don’t want to demean it, so I’m upset our honesty has been challenged. I couldn’t live with myself if we were trying to get something by that was wrong.”
