Chronicle readers would appear to support moves to persuade Cheshire West and Chester Council to go back to the drawing board regarding the Northgate development.

Last week we reported that Tim Kenney, a partner in Kenney Moore property consultants, had emailed more than 100 businesses asking them to support an open letter to Cheshire West and Chester Council leader Samantha Dixon calling for a major rethink of the scheme.

The letter – on behalf of ‘extremely concerned’ property professionals – calls for the council and its advisors to ‘stop work immediately’ and carry out a review so ‘a sustainable and deliverable’ alternative can be actioned at the city centre site.

Tim Kenney, a partner in Chester-based Kenney Moore property consultants.

Many readers took to Facebook to express their views, with many broadly agreeing they also had concerns about the viability of the scheme itself and of the retail scene in Chester in general.

Alan Lingard welcomed the intervention of the business community: “Good to see a challenge from property professionals, CWaC should be making a statement to justify this reckless spending of taxpayers money.

“While we are at it, please also comment about Barons Quay, and why has the council bought a shopping centre in Winsford? I won't hold my breath!

“One other point that CWaC are very quiet about is the shift (should Northgate be successful) of the centre towards it, leaving Frodsham Street, Foregate Street and the Grosvenor Shopping Centre, open for “fresh opportunities” whatever that means (there are only so many charity shops). This is noted in part two of the local plan.”

Computer-generated images of the proposed Northgate Development.

Si Mon was also pleased to hear about the petition letter: “Finally some belated common sense arising from the ashes of a complete white elephant of a scheme.

“Whilst it is annoying that this open letter is rather late in the process , at least it has genuine merit and concern for Chester.

“First of all they have not managed to raise the required finance and, therefore , how can you proceed? Secondly the city is rapidly falling apart with more and more units closing due to a decline in foot fall, expensive parking , movement of the bus station, removal of free after 3, etc.

“They are correct, why demolish the Crowne Plaza and rebuild nearby for a cost of millions, then build a new area and rely on shops from other parts of Chester relocating.

“House of Fraser is struggling and I doubt they will commit now under the current conditions. The sooner the city wakes up to pending disaster the better and start getting back to face the reality of a sinking city with no direction. Shocking.”

Computer-generated images of the proposed Northgate Development.

Gareth Cooper was one of many who agreed something needed to be done in the area but questioned the wisdom of a retail led scheme.

He said: “The area needs development; with a new market for the existing traders and new small start ups. I agree that retail is in a period of change due to changing shopping habits so the development needs should look at what Chester’s USP (unique selling point) is and maybe look at a tourist attraction.

“The area is at the centre of our city and can’t be left, we have the wonderful Storyhouse so let’s make this part of the city more vibrant.”

Bearing in mind the Northgate scheme was first suggested well over a decade ago, Matt Wright fears we may have missed the boat: “Took so long the market conditions have changed. Need spending power in the centre from high end apartments and experiential venues and less retail.”

Adam Thomas was more blunt about the future of retail: “Retail is dead and it’s all about leisure now so extend the old library and turn it into a new market in the style of something like Altrincham. Stick a cinema on the old bus station. Open Dee House as a museum (a dungeons style attraction would be better but a bit far fetched).How much would that cost?”

Computer-generated images of the proposed Northgate Development.

Benjamin Roy A Molesworth echoed the sentiment: “Chester is a small enough city to comfortably walk around during a day’s shopping. It currently has huge numbers of empty units which aspiring retailers could take on very good terms if they wanted to. So the need for more units and business premises just isn’t needed. Let’s hope the council realise that instead of creating a job for themselves.”

James Roberts believes the key to the scheme’s success is residential not retail:“Someone has to bite the bullet financially and recognise the city needs COMMUNITY or it dies! It needs life in it, it needs blood not more organs. Bring city centre community (residential) and the economy will grow organically with meaningful inclusive community centric business/support.

“Make the development 60% residential to support the remaining 40% retail/hospitality/service, along with the rest of the city economy.

“Apartments above first floor level. Attract community life to the city before 9am and after 5pm. People will want to come see this and be a part of it.

“A living city, not contrived and fake. Chester has the potential to be the best city in the UK, who’s holding us back? Somebody LEAD like they did with Storyhouse.”

Computer-generated images of the proposed Northgate Development.

Gareth Cooper was one of many who agreed something needed to be done in the area but questioned the wisdom of a retail led scheme.

He said: “The area needs development; with a new market for the existing traders and new small start ups. I agree that retail is in a period of change due to changing shopping habits so the development needs should look at what Chester’s USP (unique selling point) is and maybe look at a tourist attraction.

“The area is at the centre of our city and can’t be left, we have the wonderful Storyhouse so let’s make this part of the city more vibrant.”

Bearing in mind the Northgate scheme was first suggested well over a decade ago, Matt Wright fears we may have missed the boat: “Took so long the market conditions have changed. Need spending power in the centre from high end apartments and experiential venues and less retail.”

Kristopher Ball expressed a growing concern for the fate of the rest of the city centre: “Surely this money could be better invested in supporting the rest of the town, or in delivering a scheme that actually fits in with the rest of Chester. This current plan would suck the life out of other areas of town.

“You could do better by just making it a green area and a massive car park. More retail space? Oh yeah we need loads of that - all the other shops are full to the brim.

Computer-generated images of the proposed Northgate Development.

“More cafes? Don’t think there’s enough of them already.

“No common sense in this scheme whatsoever. I’d love to know who’s idea it was. Probably the idea of a builder, or an architect, or someone who clearly doesn’t know the town, surely not a town planner anyway.”

Inevitably, parking was raised by a number of people with Paul Sherlock among those urging the council to ‘bring back free after 3 so locals can go into town and spend money rather than doing it online’.

Although Mark Higgins responded by pointing out ‘retail decline began way before free after 3 ended. Also, the shops are open all day, not just after 3. The scheme did minimal for retail over a day’.

Chris Potts, however, took issue with the new level of parking charges: “Just look at your parking charges. It’s not a science. Ellesmere Port is ‘pence’. Wrexham is £1.80 for four hours and they even have contactless readers on ticket machine. I went further up the coast and it was £0.20 for two hours. Less is often more.”