A high tech Roman heritage attraction targeting computer game-loving teenagers features in the new £300m Northgate Development plan for Chester city centre.
The revised blueprint shows a potential ‘Roman experience’ on the site of Blackstocks fish and chips, next to the Roman strongroom, as part of a retail and leisure destination that promises new shops, market hall, homes, a multi-screen cinema, hotel, restaurants and car parks.
And there is now a 'stand-alone' proposal to deliver a restaurant hub in the current main library building by 2017, next to the new theatre.
Latest plans recently went on display at The Forum shopping centre as the public consultation begins prior to the lodging of a planning application next spring, with the phased project expected to be completed by 2021.
Dave Anderson, head of planning projects at Cheshire West and Chester Council, said a high tech £2m heritage centre would counter the common complaint from visiting families that there was ‘nothing to do with the kids’.
He said: “Rivington Land was appointed last July/August to conduct a commercial review. They noticed there was a void space by the Roman strong room and believe it is worth considering some form of interactive ‘black box’ entertainment facility with an educational purpose.
“It would be based around Chester’s heritage using the latest technology to tell Chester’s story whether Roman or the battles between the English and the Welsh or set in medieval times.”
An interactive heritage attraction of the type run by Merlin Entertainments could keep youngsters occupied for 1–1.5 hours and encourage the family to extend their stay even longer – by perhaps stopping for a meal – leading to wider economic benefits.
Mr Anderson believes it should be rooted in real history, with an element of artistic licence, but must be interactive otherwise today’s screen-addicted generation would find it ‘boring’. He said Chester Civic Trust and Chester Archaeological Society backed the vision to make the city’s heritage ‘more visible to the public’.
Some people attending the recent public exhibition appeared unhappy with the computer generated image of a contemporary-looking department store that would anchor the entire development but Mr Anderson stressed it was conceptual design at this stage, created with the intention of catching the eye of potential occupants such as House of Fraser.
The latest Northgate Development plan comes after an earlier version collapsed due to the 2008 financial crash.
But there are hopes the time is now right for Chester to attract major investments with a new bus station currently under construction at Gorse Stacks to pave the way for the Northgate project on and around the current Princess Street bus exchange as well as the new theatre which is now expected to open in December 2016 – later than the original October completion date.
The city library will be relocated within this cultural centre which posed a headache for council planners as they were worried about leaving the library building empty and boarded up next to the new world class arts facility for up to three years.
Now the plan is to carry out a £2m refit of the building and attract two restaurant occupants who would help with costs and create a complementary and vibrant offer by October 2017. Apparently there has already been ‘positive interest’ from well known restaurant operators.
■ Plans for Northgate remain on view in the shop window at The Forum and an online consultation will run until early January. All the information shown at the exhibition has been uploaded to the dedicated project website – www.chesternorthgate.com – where people can also find contact details for the team and submit their feedback.
If people would like to register their interest in being kept informed about the Northgate Development, they can do so by emailing info@chesternorthgate.com or by calling 0344 225 0003.
