THE man leading the Chester Renaissance project to rejuvenate the city says “incremental change” rather than the pursuance of lofty goals is the name of the game.

Shane Flynn, who chairs the Renaissance board, spoke to The Chronicle just before the official announcement that the £460m Northgate Development was about to be put on the back burner.

US-based Mr Flynn, former chief executive of MBNA Europe on Chester Business Park, says the economic cycle is “difficult at the moment” and he does not foresee massive new inward investment in the Chester economy in the short-run.

However, he hopes to set up a structure which will bring together the private and public sectors in a way that will see them working more effectively to turn Chester into a must-see European destination.

“I think we can look forward and a lot can be done but we have to be realistic,” said Mr Flynn, who said there was no point setting “very lofty goals”.

Mr Flynn, who met with newly-appointed Renaissance director Rita Waters last Thursday, said the project was about having a positive influence by encouraging movers and shakers in the local economy to follow the “same thread or threads”.

He said: “I think members of the Renaissance board have been very vocal about establishing the right balance between the private and public sector.”

Mr Flynn said that while Chester’s important retail sector was represented on key decision-making bodies, it was often not represented by the retailers themselves.

He added: “The Rows are an issue people talk about a lot. It doesn’t seem that dramatically difficult – when you are talking about one of the most iconic parts of the city – to improve this area.”

Mr Flynn said making the most of the city’s heritage such as the amphitheatre was also crucial. And with no city centre cinema or theatre, Mr Flynn agrees that improving the cultural aspects of Chester life is important.

A series of targets will be drawn up by the Renaissance board against which Ms Waters and her team will be expected to deliver.