NORTHGATE Arena could be demolished and redeveloped with new leisure facilities and a supermarket.

City council minutes reveal the authority wants a brand new sports centre and retail store on the site of the existing arena and land across the ring road at Gorse Stacks.

Retail specialists Donaldsons have been commissioned to draw up a short list of retail and development agents for the project.

The city council's arms-length company CADSART, which runs the arena, is keen to replace the 1970s leisure facilities, with the possibility of an Olympic-sized 50 metres pool being included.

A spokesman for Chester City Council said: 'For some time the council has been looking at ways to improve leisure facilities at Northgate Arena, with options ranging from refurbishment, to building a completely new leisure centre.

'The Gorse Stacks Development Brief provides for mixed use development in the area, including the potential for retail among other options. As a result, the council is updating its retail study to establish what capacity there might be for retail development in the area.

'The council is not in negotiation with any company about proposed retail use, but whatever options are pursued, the council will secure the refurbishment or rebuilding of the leisure facilities at Northgate Arena.'

Residents of nearby Northgate Village and the Garden Lane area this week discussed their fears about development in the area.

Residents are concerned about the proposed super campus for students of West Cheshire College's Handbridge and Capenhurst sites which would be based alongside the existing Northgate Arena. But there is also scope for more redevelopment if the fire and ambulance stations relocate.

Tony Gatt, chairman of Northgate Residents, who lives in Hatherton Way, was among a handful of householders who expressed concerns at the Canal Basin Community Forum.

He said: 'It seems an awfully small area to have a campus. We met the principal some time ago and she said there would be parking spaces for 130 cars. It doesn't sound a lot for a college. I don't know how many students are going to go through that college but we have heard a figure of 11,000 bandied around.

'We have lots of nooks and crannies at Northgate Village and residents' parking areas. The place is just going to be packed full of cars. Northgate Avenue in the morning is already bad enough as is Victoria Road and Brook Lane is already a rat run.'

Mr Gatt is unconvinced by proposals to give travel vouchers to students which he assumes will be linked in with the park and ride scheme.

He anticipates more strangers passing through the quiet area with extra litter and noise.

'I'm worried about the ambience of the place,' he said.

Mr Gatt also wonders whether development may be used as a reason to resurrect the guided bus scheme which was blocked by the controlling Tory group on Cheshire County Council.

He also fears the college may spoil the look of the mostly low-rise area.

He said principal Sara Mogel had claimed the new college would be no more than three storeys high, but he was sceptical.

Gordon Emery of the Forum believes the city council is supportive of the college scheme because it is seen as complementary to the Northgate Arena proposal.

He said: 'If you put a college there you will have hundreds of potential customers. It would subsidise the arena and this is why the city council wants it.'

A West Cheshire College spokeswoman said plans for the new campus, including a travel plan, would be submitted in the autumn. She said the college would do 'everything in its power' to prevent disruption. The principal, who said the college scheme was being treated separately to Arena plans, will meet residents before plans are submitted.