Plans Submitted for Chester City Centre Lifestyle Hotel
Proposed 162-bedroom hotel to include top floor restaurant overlooking cathedral
Plans have been submitted for a new 162-bedroom lifestyle hotel at 1-13 Frodsham Street in Chester city centre.
The proposals include a top-floor restaurant with a rooftop balcony overlooking Chester Cathedral and 7,500 sq ft of ground floor retail. The plans, which will see the hotel replace outdated shops on the site, were submitted by investment manager Cervidae and development manager AXIS-RE to Cheshire West & Chester Council on 16th February.
View of proposed hotel looking south along Frodsham Street
The style and finish will be targeted at the growing lifestyle sector, incorporating the best elements of boutique hotel design alongside the greater affordability and accessibility offered by major operators. With views over the city walls to the cathedral, the rooftop restaurant is anticipated to become a destination in its own right.
Chester is popular with tourists, attracting around nine million visitors every year, but has traditionally been undersupplied with hotel beds, notably in the lifestyle sub-sector and with a particular shortfall in the historic city centre. If approved, the hotel will be a significant addition to the city’s amenities and tourist offer.
Nick Mullins, director at AXIS-RE, said: “Chester is perennially popular with visitors, but the number of hotel beds has often fallen short of what is required to meet demand, particularly for those seeking a boutique, lifestyle experience. The proposed project would be a real asset to Chester, and as the way people use the city shifts away from retail and towards leisure time, the hotel and its rooftop restaurant would play a vital role in helping residents and visitors alike make the most of their time here.”
Designed to complement the existing neighbourhood vernacular, the hotel plans have been created by award-winning architecture practice Donald Insall Associates, which specialises in working on historically sensitive sites.
Tony Barton, chairman at Donald Insall Associates, added: “Historic locations such as central Chester demand architecture that complements the existing buildings while reflecting changing needs and incorporating the best of modern design. This approach underpins the plans for the hotel, and if approved it will rejuvenate a corner of Chester that holds great potential beyond its current use.”
Cervidae is an international real estate investment and development company, with assets including city centre projects in London, New York, Paris, Birmingham and Dublin. AXIS-RE is an independent Manchester-based development, investment and asset management firm, with a track record of schemes across the North West.