ONE CITY PLAN
45 ACTIONS BY 2045
[Updated December 2022]
A) Experience and Play
“Chester will develop a city experience that places people and play at the heart of its plans to support all of its communities and that celebrates its identity as a leading heritage city.”
ACTIONS LEAD GROUP
A1 Managing the city sustainably
We will work together across the public and private sectors to rise to the challenge of delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We will drive innovation in resource management and develop strategies to reduce home and business waste, encourage recycling and re-use, lower water and energy consumption and make Chester a “smart” low carbon city which is more resilient to global environmental and economic forces.
A2 Safeguarding Chester's rich heritage
We will respect, reveal, celebrate and where necessary restore the city’s world class heritage and architecture –ensuring that we take opportunities to improve surrounding public realm and open spaces, and encourage developments to be of the highest possible standards.
A3 Securing investment in Chester's historic assets
We will create new initiatives which attract funding from the public, private and voluntary sectors, or through income streams linked to the visitor economy, we will secure new funding for short term and longer-term investments which tell the story of our city, support our economy, and make the best use of our historic assets.
A4 Supporting a reimagined city centre
We will collaborate across the public and private sector to promote, enhance and celebrate the truly unique experiences of shopping, dining, visiting and staying in Chester. This will encourage local, national and international visitors to the city, as well as attracting new investors, and supporting landlords and agents to fill vacant spaces. By utilising our cultural and events programme, promoting Chester’s heritage assets (including our unique and historic Rows), and through innovation and advances in digital technology, we will create a distinctive offer for Chester where retail, leisure & cultural offer are seamlessly integrated with exciting experiences.
A5 Increasing dwell time and promoting city breaks
We will work in partnership across the public and private sector to develop a comprehensive and exciting ‘visitor experience package’, which is designed to increase the time that people spend in the city and convert more day visits into overnight stays. By ensuring the city feels safe and accessible, day or night, for all city users, we will support the local economy. The work on visitor experience for domestic and international visitors will act as a catalyst, promoting the city as a launchpad for visits to central attractions like the Deva Roman Experience, the Cathedral, Grosvenor Museum and Chester Racecourse, as well as Chester Zoo, Cheshire Oaks, Blue Planet, the Boat Museum and other things to do in Cheshire and North Wales. Building on the work of Destination Chester, we will help build stronger relationships between visitor attractions and the hospitality sector to enhance Chester’s visitor experience.
A6 Delivering an inclusive, city-wide programme of activities and events
We will co-create, curate, co-ordinate and promote a yearround programme of cultural activities and events. In the city centre, these events will be used to drive footfall throughout the day, promote safety and accessibility, and more specifically to support Chester’s night-time economy. Across the wider city and surrounding villages, this programme will support placemaking and the celebration of local identity in neighbourhoods and distinct communities.
A7 Putting 'play' at the heart of the city experience
We will work with young people to design, protect and improve conditions for life-long play in local parks and green spaces across the city in both physical and digital form. In the city centre, opportunities to promote play in central parks and the public realm will form part of our strategies to attract families and young people into town and to support the local economy.
A8 Integrating our green spaces, waterways and urban assets
We will enhance and better utilise the attractive and distinctive network of Chester’s canals and river to better connect places where people live, work, learn and relax, and to promote sports and recreation activity, which is good for health and wellbeing and supports the local economy. The Meadows, Grosvenor Park, St Johns, the Amphitheatre and the Castle complex are all linked by the River Dee at The Groves, where history, recreation, education and congregation converge to create a unique and attractive space which residents and visitors to the city enjoy. Infrastructure and development in the city has created physical barriers between The Groves and the central historic streets, but we will work collaboratively across the public and private sector, education providers and the community to bring forward plans on key strategic sites like the Castle, the Heritage port, the Chester Hydro Electric Station, the former Quicks Garage on Lower Bridge Street, Grosvenor Shopping Mall, Dee House and the City Baths to redress this balance and restore the river & canal network as a central feature of the city centre.
A9 Enhancing civic pride
We will continue to develop the area around Town Hall Square, recognising the important role of buildings like the Town Hall, Cathedral and Storyhouse for the civic, faith and cultural identity of the city. Both Exchange Square and Town Hall Square will be central locations for events, parades and ceremonies which bring people together to celebrate our city, enjoy seasonal festivals, and share enriching experiences. Along with the new History Centre (county archives), Grosvenor Museum, and other historical attractions, these buildings and local events tell the story of Chester, and through a commitment to collaboration across the public, private and community sectors this story will enhance local pride and help Cestrians to share Chester with the world.
A10 Securing high quality, low carbon contemporary development
We will implement a set of building design principles and establish a design review panel to critically reflect on future development proposals. We will also provide design advice and support with the planning process to accelerate high quality private and public investment in the city.
A11 Transforming Chester through regeneration of key development sites
We will work with city residents, businesses and other organisations to shape and drive forward regeneration plans for key strategic sites. These include the remaining area of Northgate and the Chester City Gateway area, as well as other smaller sites in the city centre and strategic employment sites including Chester business park. We will seek to understand the gaps in our offer that can support future transformation. Increasing connectivity, addressing housing needs, tackling the climate emergency, improving health and wellbeing, supporting the local economy and combatting social problems like poverty and inequality will all be factors to consider in the delivery of these projects.
B) Connectivity and accessibility
“Chester will be accessible for all city users, with seamless transportation links that provide safe passage in and around the city for all modes of transport, improving accessibility and quality of life for its communities to achieve the city’s vision of a healthier, greener and fairer city.”
ACTIONS LEAD GROUP
B1 Promoting sustainable and active travel, and greening our transport corridors
We will embrace the need to transition to NetZero by reducing carbon emissions from vehicles, whilst improving air quality, improving public health and tackling the climate emergency. Working with businesses and residents, we will promote walking, cycling, public transport, whilst maintaining prosperity and making appropriate parking provision for trips that cannot be made by other transport modes. We will respect those with mobility impairments and create an accessible city for all. We will green the key transportation corridors into Chester to enhance the public realm, improve the welcome into our city, and make roads safer for walking and cycling. By improving the permeability of the ring road at key sites, we will better connect the city centre with the river at The Groves and overcome the severance from the city centre for nearby residential communities. By delivering sustainable enhancements to our road network, we will take traffic out of the city centre and encourage new and innovative final mile options.
B2 Creation of a '15 minute' city
We will strive towards making Chester the most unique and liveable city in the UK by reimagining it as network of connected places, where a compact central core is surrounded by a cluster of ’15 minute’ neighbourhoods.
B3 Connecting Chester’s '15 minute' neighbourhoods
By embracing a ‘hub and spoke’ model, residential centres in Chester’s main suburbs and its surrounding rural villages will provide sustainable travel choices into and out of the city centre using a model which will be known as ‘Chester’s Chariot Wheel’. Around the city’s periphery we will develop legible sustainable travel links between residential areas and major employment centres, improving access to work, learning and leisure opportunities.
B4 Managing congestion and improving air quality through speed management in the city core
We will introduce 20mph speed limits in the city core, and we will take action to reduce emissions and improve air quality for city centre residents and visitors.
B5 Focus on integrated transport network across the city
We will bring together public transport, active travel, park and ride, and emerging rideshare technology like electric bikes and scooters to create clean, accessible and interoperable systems for a variety of transport modes so residents can navigate around the city easily and safely. Payment will be simple and integrated to make it straightforward for people to use.
B6 Delivering a better bus network
We will deliver a better planned and operated bus network, with enhanced cross city connectivity, reduced on street layover and support to operators to embrace zero emission vehicles.
B7 Promoting Park and Ride
We will make Park and Ride the best option for travel into the city by ensuring that payment structures, routes and parking sites are optimised. By working with large public and private sector employers, education providers like the college and university, we will increase patronage and reduce congestion.
B8 Wayfinding in an accessible city for all
We will make Chester accessible, easy to travel around and welcoming for all by connecting the city’s transportation hubs, heritage sites, retail and hospitality, cultural assets and attractions with simple wayfinding, where the challenges of a historic city for people who are less mobile or have hidden disabilities are made easier through the provision of accessible alternatives.
B9 Raising awareness of travel options and digital mobility
We will implement a co-ordinated, coherent travel information strategy for Chester, where information on travel choices will be branded, consistent across the city, and truly multi modal. Travel data will be available open source to allow for the most effective app and insights, and to maximise access to clear, reliable and coherent information about transport in the city. These interventions will support behavioural change by helping residents and visitors to make informed travel choices.
B10 Enhancing the station as a gateway to the city
We will work collaboratively with public and private sector stakeholders to make Chester Station a core access point for the city, linking it through enhanced public realm on Brook Street to the bus interchange, to the city centre along City Road and to other parts of the city over an improved Hoole Bridge crossing. This will unlock opportunities for the regeneration of the Chester City Gateway area.
B11 Improving regional, national and international connectivity
We will develop further proposals for significant investment to enable fast and frequent rail travel from Chester to other parts of the North West, including the HS2 Hub at Crewe, Manchester and Liverpool airports. We will champion investment in travel infrastructure, including the sea ports and cruise terminals. Improving connectivity into North Wales will be a key economic driver, with a particular focus on rail access to employment areas in Deeside and Broughton. Through Transport for the North, we will continue to lobby for better connectivity to the rest of the UK.
C) Thriving people and communities
“Chester will prioritise the people that live in our city and surrounding neighbourhoods to ensure that both the physical infrastructure and supporting services enable everyone to thrive.”
ACTIONS LEAD GROUP
C1 Targeting education, skills and social support to help communities thrive
We will understand the wide variety of social challenges that exist in different communities around Chester and take a targeted approach to supporting residents experiencing poor physical and mental health, vulnerability, low qualifications and poverty. Through collaboration across education, health and social services, we will take action to support those ‘most in need’ and work with employers, the community and voluntary sector, cultural sector, and the university and college to support people to be part of the cultural and economic potential of the city.
C2 Giving young people the best possible start in life
We will prioritise the health, wellbeing and educational experience of children and young people to address inequality gaps, promote social mobility and raise aspirations in a truly inclusive economy. This will include access to good schools, healthcare, youth services, sports and leisure facilities, and opportunities for play. In particular, we will take action to address the attainment gap for young people from our 'most in need' communities.
C3 Planning for an aging population and being an agefriendly city
We will make sure Chester provides the right facilities and services to meet the needs of increasing numbers of elderly residents. By utilising the framework for ‘age-friendly cities’, we will enable people at all stages in life to actively participate in community activities, access local services and to be treated with respect.
C4 Tackling homelessness and ending rough sleeping
We will develop new sites for supported accommodation until there are enough places for everybody who needs one, and we will continue to evolve our supported accommodation offer so that we can help people in the service to realise a life off the streets. We will work with landlords and charities to provide housing to tackle the homelessness crisis, by providing housing options for people who have lost their homes. For the most complex individuals, we will continue to evolve a multi-agency approach to create targeted and unique packages of support. Working together with the public, voluntary, faith and community sectors, local businesses and residents, we will end rough sleeping by supporting people into a life off the streets and we will ensure help is available so that nobody needs to beg on Chester’s streets.
C5 Enhancing the health and wellbeing of residents
We will work collaboratively across the public, private and community sector to encourage healthy lifestyles and reduce health inequalities. This includes ensuring access to quality, affordable sports facilities and open public space in both urban and natural settings, to support good mental health and promote active lifestyles and personal wellbeing, and a high quality cultural offer. In partnership with the community, voluntary and charity sector, we will support the right to food for people experiencing poverty and work to embed the principles of becoming a ‘sustainable food place’.
C6 Connecting natural and green spaces for communities and wildlife
We will make best use of existing wildlife corridors, green spaces and nature sites like the Grosvenor Park, The Groves, the Meadows, the Green Way, the Forest City Garden, the Countess Country Park, Caldy Valley and Chester Zoo nature reserves and our local parks to create a network of natural and green spaces for wildlife and communities to enjoy. We will look for new opportunities to grow our natural capital, combat the bio-diversity crisis, support people’s health and wellbeing, promote play and active travel, grow our local economy and embed the principles of becoming a ‘National Park City’.
C7 Delivering the homes we need and making Chester a great place to live
We will take every opportunity to improve the quality of housing and to support community pride and placemaking in neighbourhoods across Chester. Through reviewing current housing stock, utilising planning policy and by encouraging the best possible design standards for private sector investors, developers, social landlords and private landlords, we will deliver a diverse and accessible residential offer. Our vision is for a healthy, vibrant, dynamic and thriving place, where the focus for development is on high quality, low carbon, sustainable and well-designed living environments, located near quality public services and amenities, with super-fast digital connectivity to every property.
C8 Increasing the number of city centre residents
We will work collaboratively to promote Chester as a truly liveable city, so that landlords and developers have the confidence to invest, and so city centre living is attractive and accessible for a broad range of people. We will increase the residential offer in the city by promoting and re-purposing vacant sites, reconfiguring underused buildings and taking opportunities to build stronger communities in Chester city centre. This will involve reimagining and re-zoning the city centre to create recognisable communities, with a geographic identity and public realm which brings people together and reduces the isolation that can be associated with city centre living. We will work in partnership to move forward strategic housing site opportunities to provide high quality, higher density, low carbon housing that caters for different ages of potential residents, and is affordable and attractive for a wide range of people to live and work in the city.
C9 Feeling safe in our city at all times of day and evening
We will work together across the public, private and community sector to create cleaner, safer neighbourhoods for all our residents. Whilst Chester is a safe clean place to live, work and visit, we believe more can always be done to improve perceptions and address concerns around safety and security. It will be a key requirement for city managers, businesses and new developments to address public safety and ensure active use of places and spaces by all age groups.
C10 Playing your part
We will actively encourage people, businesses and organisations to make use of their skills, knowledge, experience and passion to support local events and activities, and make Chester an even better place to live, work, learn and visit and contribute towards developing an inclusive local economy.
D) Business Friendly, Economy and Skills
“Chester will grow and diversify to support individuals, graduates, innovators, SMEs and multinationals in making Chester the place to invest and grow, supporting our innovators with the need for quality coworking hubs, early-stage and grow-on space. This will contribute to an inclusive and fairer economy, supporting innovation, social enterprises and entrepreneurship. Through collaboration we will develop our local workforce by investing in skills and training to attract and retain talent to meet the demands of future private and public sector workforces.”
ACTIONS LEAD GROUP
D1 Supporting businesses to transition to a low carbon economy
We will ensure the development of green skills for a future workforce. In particular, training and education of individuals and businesses of all sizes in low carbon manufacturing and services including creating energy efficient and climate resilient buildings, installation of renewables, waste reduction and recycling. We will build on the major opportunities presented by new skills and technologies to establish Cheshire as leader in carbon reduction.
D2 Placing Chester at the heart of an Inclusive Economy in West Cheshire and wider economic sub-region
We will work together across the public, private and third sector to create a fairer local economy, where residents can access well paid jobs and identify opportunities to learn new skills. We will promote alternative business models, like cooperatives and social enterprises, to build and retain local wealth and deliver social good. We will tackle inequality and poverty by encouraging local employers to close the gender pay gap, have an inclusive and diverse workforce, and pay the local living wage. We will also listen, understand and take account of the challenges of youth social mobility in communities across the city and take targeted action to support young people to get on in life.
D3 Supporting professional networks to help influence decisions
We will support Chester’s key employment sectors of finance, insurance and professional services - as well as considerable expertise in the legal and judiciary professionsto grow, collaborate and innovate. We will also look to position these traditional sectors alongside emerging technological, cultural and creative sectors in the city, and new opportunities for green skilled jobs, to ensure Chester remains relevant and receptive to future business needs. We will also look to support and engage with the city's larger employers.
D4 Attracting inward investment by focusing on growth opportunities
We will identify emerging high value sectors and provide the right conditions for business growth and investment in the city. We will work with partners in our strategic employment sites to ensure that we can make it easy for a company to locate and scale here, in turn ensuring that Chester is an attractive place to retain and attract high quality graduates and talented professionals to live and work here.
D5 Marketing the city as a place for business
We will create a clear identity for the city which capitalises on its unique strengths. Central to this will be joined up marketing campaigns with shared collateral that is cocreated by relevant networks in the city. These campaigns will be designed to sell the ‘place story’ as a welcoming, probusiness city in which to start and grow a business, supporting the next generation of enterprise and innovation
D6 Being a home for research, innovation and entrepreneurship
We will provide specialist support for tech start-ups, business incubation and development of existing and emerging sectors. Exploring opportunities to accommodate business ventures and start-ups originating from the University of Chester will be a central factor in Chester’s economic growth, as will promoting the city as an exciting location for start-ups in energy, financial technology and the creative industries. We will continue to support the development of relationships between business, academia, grass roots entrepreneurs and young people so that the city centre becomes the ‘beating heart’ for innovation, business, and networking in our sub region.
D7 Creating quality and flexible workspace for the digital age
We will ensure that city centre premises, key peripheral sites and residential areas have access to superfast and reliable digital services, so home connectivity and easy access to quality office space, makes Chester an attractive city to live and work in the 21st century. We will expand opportunities to work in a vibrant city centre by investing in flexible workspaces, co-working spaces and the use of public buildings so that Chester is an exciting place to meet, learn, work and network.
D8 Becoming a city of educational excellence
We will work with schools, colleges and the university, and training providers through the Council, to develop the skills and knowledge that will support local businesses, deliver growth in important sectors, drive innovation, encourage entrepreneurship and support residents to get on in life.
D9 Supporting people to open a business in Chester city centre
We will work collaboratively across the public and private sector to create better support for people looking to open high street businesses in Chester city centre. Drawing together specialists in property, legal services, economic development, planning, conservation, licencing, highways and building control, we will leverage the values of a ‘Team Chester’ approach to make it easy to set up and operationalise a business in the city
D10 Becoming a thriving University city
We will build upon the partnership agreement between Cheshire West and Chester Council and Chester University to realise the economic and cultural opportunities of becoming a thriving university city. Working together with employers, the University and Council will play a key role in developing and retaining a highly skilled workforce, attracting investment, tackling the climate emergency, and driving the local economy forward.
E) Governance ownership and delivery
“The One City Plan is a framework, underpinned by a set of ambitions and actions, to which a collective of public, private and community sectors will sign up to. This will ensure everyone works towards a shared goal of achieving the One City Plan’s vision by 2045.”
ACTIONS
E1 Maintaining an accountable and inclusive governance structure, and reporting back through stakeholder events and One City Plan summits
We will support several working groups to help shape, influence, advise, challenge, champion and coordinate activity related to delivering the One City Plan. The Chairs of the groups will come together regularly to oversee progress. Each group will be chaired by a lead partner and will include representatives from the Council, individuals and partner organisations. The Council’s officer team (Programme Office) will coordinate the coming together of the Chairs of the groups and will assist with programme management, information and intelligence, reporting and internal communications. We will report on progress annually at a stakeholder event where priorities for the future will also be set. We will also hold regular public events and One City Plan summits, to engage the public in the delivery of the plan.
E2 Developing the ‘Chester Test’
We will use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as part of an interactive dashboard to test the viability of projects and align them with themes and ambitions of the One City Plan. These core sustainability principles will be embedded in a decision wheel to aid decision-making, and the dashboard will enable us to measure progress against the One City Plan actions.
E3 Branding, communication, and promotion
We will utilise a range of platforms to support communication and share information amongst the One City Plan groups A powerful One City Plan brand will be developed to help residents understand how individual projects contribute towards the wider plan, and we will badge all One City Plan projects with a recognisable logo for print or digital, and use plaques for physical developments or infrastructure projects, to promote the One City Plan and demonstrate to citizens how the actions are being delivered.
LEAD GROUP
PROGRAMME