The next phase is underway to create Chester’s £120m Central Business Quarter as a well known bank building gets demolished.
One City Place, next to Chester Railway Station, was unveiled in 2016 as the first of seven office blocks that will form the new 500,000 sq ft business quarter by 2028.
The six-storey 70,000 sq ft building was last year sold to Hermes Investment Management by developers Muse for a reported £17.5m.
Now Premier House, formerly occupied by Lloyds Banking Group staff, is being demolished to enable the next phase of the business quarter to be constructed.
Lloyds employees continue to work in the adjacent Charterhall House and Tower House. And the bank says there are no plans for that to change at the moment.
But there is bound to be speculation the bank will eventually consolidate its operations at Chester Business Park where Lloyds now runs the MBNA credit card business.
One City Place is home to a range of companies including Sykes Cottages, RSM, Excello Law, Power Solutions (UK), Black and Veatch and SL Investment Management. The University of Law is due to relocate there from its Christleton base in time for a September 2018 opening.
The scheme was part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and The North West Evergreen Fund.
Cheshire West and Chester Council invested more than £1.5m in new public realm around the site including the renovation of Grade II listed rail sheds linked to the train station. And the Carriage Shed has played host to a number of events including food and drink festivals.
The Central Business Quarter, which is predicted to create 3,500 jobs, includes longer term plans for 200 new homes with 100 canalside apartments and ultimately the development will feature hotel, restaurant and leisure facilities.
And the regeneration will link in with the Waitrose supermarket in Boughton and plans for a residential scheme incorporating the historic shot tower and leadworks site.
