Developers behind a six-storey office scheme by Chester Railway Station have unveiled plans for 100 canalside apartments nearby.
Muse Developments is working up proposals before lodging a reserved matters planning application for the housing scheme just days after a ‘topping out’ ceremony at its One City Place office construction.
The 100,000 sq ft residential scheme will be situated on the site of the current Lloyds’ car parking area on the north side of the Shropshire Union Canal opposite Waitrose. The apartments will complement the wider City Place development, which will ultimately include state-of-the-art offices, restaurants and leisure facilities.
Phil Mayall, development director at Muse, said: “We have always planned to include a residential element to City Place so we are very pleased to be in the process of working up the plans for the council’s consideration. We have already received a number of unsolicited approaches from private rental sector investors to acquire the residential scheme, so we are very optimistic about the future of the project.”
Muse says the new residential development is “extremely well connected” being situated directly opposite the new Waitrose store and with a number of restaurants and bars in close proximity. The train station is literally on the doorstep of the scheme and the shops, amenities and attractions of the city centre are just a short walk away.
Muse made the announcement about the new scheme after Property Week and CACI revealed its new study, which ranked Chester one of the top three hottest residential locations in the UK. The ranking combined the affordability of property with data on the overall quality of life within that town, factoring in employment levels, the provision of local amenities, schools and connectivity to the internet.
The 70,000 sq ft of office space at One City Place has been developed speculatively by Muse Developments and represents the first of seven office buildings which could accommodate a total of about 3,500 jobs by 2028.
The BREEAM ‘excellent’ rated building will accommodate about 700 employees, featuring a large ground floor foyer and reception area with five upper floors offering flexible office space and floor-to-ceiling glazing to allow for natural light.
