Work has started on a six-storey student block in Chester city centre dubbed ‘oversized, brutal and ugly’.

The 77-bed managed complex on Hunter Street car park was given the go-ahead even though it was opposed by councillors, residents and a heritage watchdog.

Cheshire West and Chester Council ’s planning committee rejected the scheme by nine votes to nil with two abstentions in April 2016.

Members concluded its design, scale and massing meant it was out of step with the neighbourhood and conservation area.

An artist's impression of what the 77-bed student block will look like off Hunter Street as seen from the ring road

But inspector Jonathan Manning allowed Watkin Jones’ appeal disregarding objections by council leader Samantha Dixon , more than 60 residents and comments by Chester Civic Trust, who dubbed the building ‘oversized, brutal and ugly’.

He instead agreed with Historic England and the council’s planning department who had recommended the scheme be approved.

The appeal site was currently an ‘unattractive’ car park, he said, while acknowledging the sensitive location to the rear of historic properties in King Street.

An artist's impression of what the 77-bed student block will look like off Hunter Street

Regarding a controversial six-storey tower feature, he said: “Whilst the feature tower would be visible on the skyline, I am of the view that it would add visual interest to the corner when viewed from the street scene and also to the townscape when viewed from the wider area.”

But Labour council leader and ward member Cllr Dixon (Chester City) told the planning committee on decision day: “Ask yourselves, is this the listed building of the future? No, it isn’t. It isn’t needed. It isn’t wanted and it isn’t good enough.”

Opponent Faye Mustill, chairman of King Street Residents Association, recognised the plans had been modified to make the building more ‘visually acceptable’, but commented: “That said, residents are diametrically opposed to student accommodation as evidenced by the 60 letters of objection.”

Cllr Jill Houlbrook
Cllr Jill Houlbrook

Committee member Cllr Jill Houlbrook (Con, Upton ) told those gathered: “We’ve got the wonderful theatre being developed just up the road and now we are going to put what to me looks like a monstrous concrete-brick block just further down the road from it.”

Watkin Jones planning director Iain Smith, addressing the committee, thanked council officers for their support, saying they had described the development as ‘a strong and confident building that can sit comfortably in the area’ with a ‘strong corner feature’.

As the developer and operator of two existing managed student schemes in Victoria Road and off City Road, his company fully appreciated the ‘sensitivities’ around student accommodation and the impact ‘uncontrollable’ houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) have on surrounding residents.

An aerial view of the site for the 77-bed student accommodation off Hunter Street, Chester

He asked: “Where should students in Chester live? It’s commonly recognised that managed accommodation is the answer as it has a continuous management presence and members of the community have a direct point of contact to address any concerns.”

Mr Smith said the appearance of the building was intended to fit with the Storyhouse cultural centre and plans for the Northgate Development.