HUGE trees, a phone box, a CCTV post and an electricity substation – that’s the view visitors get of the cathedral when approaching from St Werburgh Street.

This is the opinion of Nick Fry, the cathedral’s press officer, who argues controversial plans to replace a lawn in front of the war memorial with granite setts and remove trees will open up views of the magnificent building.

“It’s making the cathedral the focus of that area which, oddly enough, it isn’t,” he said. “I’ve stood on St Werburgh Street and somebody has genuinely said ’Where’s the cathedral?’.”

Likewise, Nick says the £2m public realm vision will create a continental-style piazza when approaching from Town Hall Square.

And the blueprint includes plans to move the ‘unpleasant’ Bell Tower Walk, joining up with the walls, to the other side of the bell tower so that it passes through the Remembrance Garden.

Rita Waters, chief executive of Chester Renaissance, who is project-managing the Cheshire West and Chester Council, scheme says improving the setting should encourage more visitors to the cathedral but accepts it is controversial.

However, she insists Renaissance is in listening mode, despite the scepticism of opponents, and says feed-back has already resulted in minor changes to the plans including new trees which won’t obscure the view and planting to address concerns over loss of greenery.

Mrs Waters believes many people did not like an earlier version of the plan which included a modern-style visitor entrance, which is on hold due to lack of funding, and some mistakenly believe it forms part of the latest vision.

But she brushes off the apparent unpopularity of the scheme with the public, saying special interest groups like English Heritage, the Civic Trust and cathedral user groups have been positive during consultations.

Asked if the project will be pursued even if unwanted by the community at large, she commented: “It’s not in our gift to say it’s going to happen. That’s down to the strategic bodies.”

The public have until February 21 to pass comment on the planning application. Speak to the architects at drop-in sessions on Thursday, January 20 in the education room of Chester Cathedral between 10am-noon and 2-4pm; on Wednesday, January 26 in St Mary’s Centre between 10am-noon and at Chester Renaissance between 5-7pm and on Tuesday, February 1 at St Mary’s Centre between 2-4pm and 5-7pm. Contact Renaissance with any questions.