The development of a dedicated dining quarter in Chester city centre has taken a major step forward with plans in to create five new restaurants.
HIG Chester Property Sarl and Bride Hall Real Estate Partners have lodged a full planning application with Cheshire West & Chester Council to convert existing retail and office space across the ground floor and first floors of Pepper House, part of the Grosvenor Shopping Centre, on Pepper Street. It intends to create five restaurant units that feature external dining areas in the form of south-facing terraces above traffic level.
The scheme to regenerate the north side of Pepper Street represents the second phase of the development of a new dining quarter for the city. The first phase, which involved creating four restaurants on the south side of the street, is already complete and the units have now been handed over to Chimichanga, Coast to Coast, Las Iguanas and Opera Grill.
The second-phase application has been submitted in advance of terms being agreed with specific restaurant operators although talks are ongoing with several potential tenants. Obtaining planning consent is expected to provide a greater degree of certainty to prospective occupiers during these discussions.
A design and access statement in support of the proposal has been submitted by HFM Architects, which also worked on phase one.
It said: "The existing retail units and office space within the proposal site are largely vacant and demand for these existing uses is not high.
"The continued use of this floor space for temporary lettings is not sustainable and will not contribute fully to the local economy or vitality of the city. This proposal would make better use of this existing floor space and represents a viable longer term solution that will provide job opportunities and increase activity levels in this part of the city, thereby contributing to the local economy and social wellbeing of Chester."
Cheshire West & Chester Council has not yet set a date to consider the application.
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