Commonhall Square Neighbourhood Masterplan by MONIKA Studio

Commonhall Square Neighbourhood Masterplan ACTIVITY/ COMMUNITY/ PEOPLE/ PLACE June 2022

ANDY FARRALL LIMITED

GROWTH - REGENERATION - URBAN DESIGN - DEVELOPMENT - GOVERNMENT - STRATEGIC ADVISE director: Andy Farrall BA(Hons) MA PGDIP MRTPI

with support from:

contents 1. introduction and context 2. residents aims and objectives 3. area appraisal - summary 4. structuring the place – reinforcing the neighbourhood 5. strategic framework 6. strategic masterplan 7. working-up White Friars 8. next steps appendix 1 - area appraisal appendix 2 - policy context

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01_introduction & context This work has been commissioned by and for the residents of the Commonhall Street area in central Chester – an emerging colourful and vibrant community with a strong sense of pride in where they live and with strong views about their neighbourhood and its sense of ‘place’. The residents commissioned Andy Farrall Limited to undertake the work. MONIKA Studios, based in the neighbourhood, have injected their brilliant graphics abilities. It's a ‘thought leadership’ piece with a clear message about creating a more liveable city centre neighbourhood. So, let’s not get too hung-up on the detail – it’s all about the underlying concepts of creating a more liveable neighbourhood. The area contains three active community groups – one for each of the neighbourhood main streets. The White Friars Residents’ Association led the work for the collective. The work involved the active participation of the residents including a residents’ workshop. This area masterplan is community-led and community-driven. It’s their vision of the place in which they want to live - welcoming, vibrant and sustainable.

city centres have changed It is increasingly acknowledged that city centre ‘side streets’ need to be reimagined, particularly in historic cities. The centre of cities like Chester are becoming attractive places to live – not just for smaller households, but also for families. In the last century city centres were depopulated through movement to the suburbs and through ‘slum clearance’ programmes, plus many houses were converted to offices. The former residential streets off the main retail dominated high streets, became little more than service areas to access the rears of high street shops and offices. The need for large vehicle turning spaces, service bays and employee parking meant that side streets became fragmented, forgotten and unattractive. In Chester – the main retail streets were seen as paramount – but the side and rear streets were forgotten and seen as unimportant. There’s a classic quote: ‘Chester’s face is its fortune’ - if this is the case, then its beauty is only skin deep – a Row-street veneer. Things have changed over the last decade and the pandemic has accelerated this: Chester’s side and rear streets are becoming residential again. White Friars is leading the way in this transformation. Gone are the offices – these have been converted back into homes and renovated to a high quality. Families with children are now living in White Friars. The future of city centres is about reimagining them as vibrant and colourful mixed-use neighbourhoods, with people living in them. The Cheshire & Warrington LEP and the Council see Chester city centre as a real priority for city-centre living. Reports such as the recent CBRE’s ‘Chester, Reimagining the High Street’ and Chester Smart Mobility clearly see that residential development will be the key driver for the regeneration of the city centre. image via British Listed Buildings (Nick Roe)

Further, it is being acknowledged that redevelopment and regeneration sites such as Northgate 2, Grosvenor Precinct, Quicks, Linenhall, etc. will be redeveloped with residential being a major part of their mix. At a time where climate change is high on the agenda with the desire to move from fossil fuel powered cars to more sustainable forms of mobility, why are Chester’s city centre residential streets dominated by on-street car parking spaces that anyone can use, encouraging cars to drive around ‘hunting’ for a free on-street parking space through its residential streets? Residential side streets such as White Friars are being used as rat-runs for private hire and delivery vehicles, trying to avoid ring road junctions and traffic lights. In Chester this is even more bizarre with the existence of an established Park and Ride network, and the recent construction of a large new car parking structure at Northgate, together with a desire on the part of the Council to make the city centre car free. Smart mobility will become increasingly important in Chester. Mobility hubs, car-pooling and car clubs, micro EVs, together with on-street EV charging for city centre residents (where offstreet EV charging opportunities will be rare) will mean that Chester’s residential streets will need to change and evolve further. Likewise, where open space is at a premium within individual properties, families will look to utilise the street outside their houses as extensions of their homes – to play, meet and enjoy a healthy outdoors. In such cases streets will inevitably become mini parks. The concept of liveable streets pioneered in the Netherlands and their UK equivalent - Home Zones, is now common place. If the city centre is increasingly becoming a place for families to live and enjoy as an authentic residential neighbourhood, then side streets that have become residential areas and those that will become so, need to be reimagined. They need to become ‘people places’ – healthy, safe and enjoyable- places for families to enjoy, where they want to live, look after and make their own. Such streets will have a different utility – driven for the residents and the families that are increasingly becoming the predominant users.

a pilot for urban living in the centre of Chester The White Friars area is typical of this – perhaps it is leading the way in thinking about this change. It is now predominantly a residential street with families living along it. What businesses are left within the street have their own off-street car parking within their own sites. White Friars is not a key servicing street, nor is it part of the wider network of the city-centre through routes. Then why is it open to through traffic and rat-running? Why are there on-street car parking spaces along it, available for anyone to use? Why is it a street for the car and not a street given over to the residents who live along it? There has been no thought about how smart mobility can transform the utility of the street and its adjoining areas. There are no car-club spaces that would allow residents to hire or share vehicles, and there are no on-street EV charging points. Where do the children who live on the street play in safety? The residents of the White Friars area want to positively change their streets – they want to make them theirs. They want a more sustainable, healthy, safe, pollution free and enjoyable place to live. A place that they will look after and take pride in. They are keen to be a pilot for city-centre living in Chester – an exemplar that can used to transform residential streets across the city centre and for those streets that will become predominantly residential in the future. They want to help shape policy and practice, and to work positively and in partnership with the Council to enable this – real ‘community-leadership’.

image via Cycling Ambassy

image via Galloway Street Play

this is not new Creating more liveable streets and the measures that can be employed to do this is not new – it has been successful in many places: Woonerfs, Home-Zones, Play Streets, Living Streets, neighbourhood traffic calming initiatives, etc. have been commonly employed in the UK and in other countries, even in Chester. However, the more recent rise in town and city-centre living and the increasing momentum of initiatives such as ‘Loveable Neighbourhoods’ in many London Boroughs by Transport for London, is raising the profile of this positive trend.

image via DutchUrbanIndex Twitter

image via Urban Mobillity Courses

02_residents aims & objectives aim: To reinforce the Commonhall Square as a vibrant and liveable city centre neighbourhood. Objectives: • • • • • • • •

A safe place in which to raise a family. A connected neighbourhood in the heart of the city. A people’s neighbourhood – not dominated by motor vehicles. A smart community – embracing alternative modes of mobility. A neighbourhood that acknowledges and reinforces its historic character. A place where its streets are an extension of the home. A greener place. A place where its streets and spaces are full of life and vitality – trade, hospitality, play and social interaction. • A place that is a cool and creative alternative to the formality of Chester’s Row streets. • A well maintained and well managed neighbourhood.

Neighbourhood Heart sketch by MONIKA Studio

03_area appraisal -summary key points (full appraisal -appendix 1): • White Friars – a real gem – a beautiful townscape reflecting Chester’s rich heritage. • A real neighbourhood in the heart of Chester city centre – a growing residential neighbourhood – city centre living made real. • Residents now expect more – as a place to live, play, trade, interact and enjoy – they expect a more LIVEABLE place. • A tale of contrasting street approaches – a focus on the Row streets with a neglect of the ‘back streets’. • Lost and forgotten spaces – wonderful city spaces lost in clutter, awaiting discovery. • A well-connected place with poor visibility – a dense network of lanes and alleyways that are unattractive or just not known. • A lack of facilities expected in a modern sustainable urban community – opportunity for play, outdoor community interaction, alternative mobility modes, public space, green space are lacking. • Traffic calming is minimal – through traffic and rat-running is encouraged rather than managed for the benefit of the neighbourhood • The balance of car parking is wrong – on-street car parking is a freefor-all, with only superficial priority for residents of the neighbourhood – ‘hunting’ for free car parking is rife. • Damaged and worn-out public realm – areas of pot-holes, poorly maintained public and private spaces, unattractive commercial waste stores, vacant plots together with street surfaces broken by turning vehicles and footway overrunning give a general impression of neglect. • A place for vehicles NOT people – large service vehicles and general car parking dominate the place, making people secondary.

generally: • An emerging sustainable city centre residential neighbourhood that will become increasingly residential at an accelerated pace - a growing vibrant and creative community in the heart of the city. • However, the public realm is in poor condition and the area is neglected. Its historic fabric is being damaged, is dominated by cars ‘hunting’ for free car parking spaces and service vehicles, and is plagued by rat-running. • A place at the heart of one of the most beautiful cities in Europe but with little public space for the community to enjoy, or for children to play.

Neighbourhood Heart sketch by MONIKA Studio

04_structuring the place reinforcing the neighbourhood This section builds upon the Council’s Commonhall Street Development Brief and the residents’ workshops held beforehand and afterwards. This is a process of structuring the place to make sense of and pull together this neighbourhood. It seeks also to tackle the detailed issues identified in this report’s analysis. It’s about reinforcing the ‘place’. (Note – all these diagrams include the proposed new development at the corner of Commonhall Street and Pierpoint Court)

reinforcing urban form and space The analysis of the urban form of the area illustrates: • The strong and understandable built form along White Friars and Cuppin Street. • The open space at the ‘heart’ of the neighbourhood at Commonhall Street. • The dense network of lanes and alley links radiating from this ‘heart’ – the hub of the neighbourhood’s connectivity. • The clear weakening of this urban form towards the west – replaced by the gardens and walls of White Friars. • The lost city spaces: » At the junction of Bridge Street / Grosvenor Street / Pepper Street – at an important gateway to the core of the city » At the junction of Cuppin Street / Grosvenor Street. • The ‘hidden’ square at the eastern end of Back Weaver Street.

Figure 01: figure ground diagrambuilt form & spaces including lost spaces

strong and active street frontages Strong and active street frontages dominate the core of the area. This will be reinforced when the new development at the corner of Commonhall Steet and Pierpoint Court is completed. Cuppin Street and much of White Friars have continuous frontages with front doors facing the street. The lost urban spaces identified previously at the eastern end of Cuppin Street and at the junction of Grosvenor Street, Bridge Street and Pepper Street, again emerge as lost ‘squares’ with their active street frontages of shops, restaurants and offices and, in the latter, a landmark former church tower. The eastern end of Commonhall Street and Pierpoint Court will also have continuous street frontages, reinforced by the run of commercial premises fronting Commonhall Street. The eastern frontage to Pierpoint Court is however dominated by blank rears of buildings and a vacant building. Active street frontages fall away nearer to Weaver Street. Back Weaver Street however, has a fractured street frontage pattern – of rears of buildings, gap sites, poor boundary treatments and large car parking areas. Again, this illustrates Commonhall Street/Pierpoint Court as the ‘heart’ of the neighbourhood with clear ‘radial’ linkages to the main shopping streets. It also illustrates the strong street patterns in White Friars and Cuppin Street.

Figure 02: active and strong frontages, including the emerging neighbourhood 'heart'

strenghtening the emerging heart of the neighbourhood - Commonhall Square The eastern end of Commonhall Street and Pierpoint Court emerge as the ‘heart’ of the area with: • • • •

•

The proto-square at Commonhall Street as the urban form opens up. The strong and distinctive urban form and street frontage pattern. The sub-division of the area into smaller distinctive spaces. Its all-round connectivity through lanes and alleys to both Watergate Street and Bridge Street and surrounding parts of the neighbourhood – making it the real ‘hub’ of the neighbourhood and its connectivity. The clear ‘gateway’ at the junction of Commonhall Street and Back Weaver Street.

Figure 03: the emerging 'heart' of the neighbourhood including the distinctive spaces that it comprises

image via Pilotis

enhancing spaces and connectivity The urban form and street frontage pattern reveals the series of linked spaces that make up the area – a rich pattern that illustrates that the area is potentially well connected and highly permeable – albeit very difficult to understand and navigate, with little attempt at wayfinding. This is understandable as until now there was little of real merit to find – however, this is changing with a growing urban neighbourhood now emerging. These spaces are in many cases ill-formed or are forgotten under a layer of patchy surface treatments, and traffic management clutter. They are waiting to be rediscovered to reinforce the rich intricacy of this neighbourhood and the city centre generally.

Figure 04: spaces and connectivity

image via Pinterest

05_strategic framework Figure 5 outlines the proposed principles of the Strategic Framework. Its aim is to: • Build upon the essential qualities of the area • Tackle the particular issues identified through the appraisal • Reinforce the place as an important emerging predominantly residential urban neighbourhood • Create a safe, liveable and understandable place. This framework has been developed by the residents of the area themselves - ‘tested’ and modified through a residents' workshop. It’s their vision of the place in which they live. It is therefore a powerful reflection of their aspirations and their feelings about their neighbourhood. Few of the components of the framework are particularly new – they are commonly used in other towns and cities in the UK and abroad - in Home Zones, Woonerfs, Play Streets, and more recently Liveable Streets. Indeed, many of the street treatments that are proposed are already employed in Chester. What is new is to apply these principles to an emerging residential neighbourhood in the centre of Chester, combining such measures into a clear urban designled place-making approach which residents themselves have generated. The key components of the framework are:

the neighbourhood 'heart'. The reinforcement and enhancement of the Commonhall Street/Pierpoint Court area as the identifiable ‘heart’ of the neighbourhood:

• Commonhall Square

– a landscaped and shared surface area fronted by active businesses and animated with alfresco and other street-based activities.

• Pierpoint Court – a managed multi-use shared space for children and young people to play, street markets and neighbourhood events. A Play Street. This would require partnership with adjoining businesses and a rethink of the servicing arrangements.

• Pierpoint Square– a small enclosed space to be used as part of the Pierpoint Court multi-use shared space.

• Connecting the Heart - The enhancement of the lane and alley link routes radiating into and out of the Heart – reinforcing its connectivity. This should include the physical enhancement of the key nodes of connectivity to help orientation and wayfinding. These routes should also be way-marked from Bridge Steet and Watergate Street.

• Marking the Heart – branding the 'heart' as the animated hub of the neighbourhood. images via Pinterest

strategic framework

Figure 05: strategic framework

smart mobility hub The location of a smart mobility hub at the space at the junction of Grosvenor Street, Bridge Street and Pepper Street, as one of a branded circuit of such hubs around the edge of the city centre – to serve as a sustainable mobility gateway into the southern part of the city core. Comprising personal micro-EV parking, rental and charging, bike parking, seating, parcel delivery lockers, street café, and possibly a Park and Ride bus halt.

residential street gateways Reconfiguring the entrances to the neighbourhood’s four residential streets to calm traffic, deter through-traffic and car parking space ‘hunting’. These gateways should also include features to mark and ‘brand’ each residential street – to promote local distinctiveness and community pride. The local community and local artists should be central to the design of these portal features.

re-discovery of the lost city squares The two lost city spaces along Grosvenor Street should be rediscovered as important city spaces – through their decluttering, enhancement and animation:

Bridge Square at the junction of Grosvenor Street, Bridge Street and Pepper Street – as a gateway into the core of the city centre and portal into White Friars.

Cuppin Square as an active animated space and portal into Cuppin Street.

images via Pinterest

liveable residential streets The enhancement and calming of the four predominantly residential streets to make them liveable places for families to enjoy, socialise and play. The residents of these streets should lead the process of their redesign to promote local ‘ownership’ and pride. The introduction of greenery and planting into these streets will soften their character, improve their amenity and further calm traffic. The small green ‘lawn’ at the west end of White Friars should be planted with high vegetation to reinforce the gateway into this street. Back Weaver Street requires particular partnership action to promote the development of gap sites and vacant plots, the repair of walls and boundaries and the reinstatement of worn-out street surfaces and street furniture. Residents, business owners, the Council and the BID should work to develop a plan to tackle the unattractive commercial bins that detract from this street. The parking court at the end of Back Weaver Street should be enhanced as an attractive urban parking ‘square’ – car parking areas needn’t be ugly and utilitarian.

celebrating alleyways Enhancing the alleyway and lane connections into and out of the neighbourhood and directly onto Chester’s Rows – as safe and attractive walking routes – part of Chester’s distinctiveness. The use of public art and creative lighting will bring these routes to life.

images via Pinterest & La Pepiniere

residents only car parking Car parking in these residential streets should be limited to 'residents only' to promote ‘ownership’ and to deter through-traffic and the ‘hunting’ for free car parking spaces. These resident-only spaces should not be time-shared as general car parking places. General car parking should be limited to Weaver Street – where few residents live. This dedication to residents-only will enable: • On-street EV charging facilities. • On-street bike and personal micro-EV parking, lockers and charging facilities. • Car club spaces and charging. These are rapidly becoming essentials of city centre living and in promoting more sustainable and smart mobility options for urban residents.

White Friars traffic direction? As the current traffic movement strategy is directly contributing to the damage of the footways and carriageways and rat-running from Bridge Street, it is suggested that the direction of traffic be modelled and reconsidered. One-way, west to east, along the whole length of the street, together with the traffic calming measures recommended here is a logical solution.

images via Pinterest

a new pattern of movement and connectivity A new pattern of movement is proposed: •

The clear identification and marking of the four residential streets – through gateway features and traffic calming. These should have residents-only parking space and facilities for other sustainable mobility modes (EV charging, bike parking, car club spaces etc.)

•

The reinforcement of the neighbourhood 'heart' at Commonhall Street through shared surfacing and the animation of the spaces created.

•

The enhancement and waymarking of the lane and alley links from the neighbourhood 'heart' to Watergate Street and Bridge Street – including the key link nodes along these routes to aid orientation and street waymarking from Watergate Street, Bridge Street and beyond

•

The reinforcement of Weaver Street and the ‘loop’ with Back Weaver Street as the main access for delivery vehicles servicing the rears of premises along Watergate Street

•

The rebalancing of service access to both Bridge Street and Watergate Street – so more delivery vehicles use the time limited access arrangements along these main streets, rather than accessing through the streets of this emerging residential neighbourhood. This would further free up public realm along Pierpoint Court for other activities such as play space for families and street-based animation and activity.

This should be coupled with the promotion of more sustainable delivery modes – cargo bikes and small EVs, plus: •

The use of Weaver Street for shared bay general short-stay parking.

•

A mobility hub at the space at the junction of Grosvenor Street, Bridge Street and Pepper Street to further promote more sustainable mobility modes and to serve Bridge Street.

images via Currans Unique

movement pattern and connectivity

Figure 06: movement pattern and connectivity

images via Pinterest

06_strategic masterplan

View of the Pierpoint Court - activation through market sketch by MONIKA Studio

View of the neighbourhood 'heart' sketch by MONIKA Studio

view of the neighbourhood 'heart' sketch by MONIKA Studio copyright Andy Farrall Limited 2022

concept ideas for the animation of Commonhall Square

A vibrant flea market in Pierpoint Court and Commonhall ‘square’

A covered alfresco area – with tables and chairs beneath a colourful canopy copyright Andy Farrall Limited 2022

view of the neighbourhood 'heart' sketch by MONIKA Studio

view of the neighbourhood 'heart' sketch by MONIKA Studio copyright Andy Farrall Limited 2022

07_working up White Friars western section

Car club parking space.

High planting in existing grassed area to visually narrow the gateway.

Residents-only parking bays with EV charging pillars.

Gateway portal features. Narrowing street bell-mouth with widened footways and raised table.

Retain and make good existing York Stone footways and granite sett carriageway. Container planting feature – visual street narrowing. copyright Andy Farrall Limited 2022

Bollards to visually narrow the street and prevent footway over-running.

Footway build-out with container planting – physical and visual traffic calming.

view of the White Friars raised crossing sketch by MONIKA Studio copyright Andy Farrall Limited 2022

Enhancement, decluttering and resurfacing and street cafe.

eastern section

Widened ‘footway’ designed to withstand over-running.

Footway build-out with container planting – physical and visual traffic calming. Orientation node in the form of raised table.

Parcel collection point as part of the Mobility Hubdesigned as street art. copyright Andy Farrall Limited 2022

Bollards to visually narrow the street and prevent footway over-running, shared surface .

Mobility Hub: Bike and micro-EV parking, rental and charging Parcel delivery lockers Travel information Mobility Hub branded pillar etc

Bridge Street smart mobility hub - model components (from CoMoUK)

08_next steps This document and its masterplan are a ‘thought leadership’ piece. At this stage it is not a detailed design. It’s the start of a process not the end. It is a community-led vision – which now needs to be developed into one that is shared by others – principally the Council. The development of this shared plan is the next key step in this process. It will change and develop as the detail of the constraints and further opportunities arise and detailed debate takes place. The key concepts can be found in the Strategic Framework (Figure 5). The Strategic Masterplan (Figure 7) is a visualisation of the Framework. The priority should be to share the concept of the neighbourhood we are trying to create.

– a liveable city centre neighbourhood.

costings and materials The estimate of costs for the delivery of the Masterplan has been deliberately avoided as these costs can vary considerably. The next step of discussion and further design will produce such costings. A key consideration of costs is the expense of the materials employed. It’s usual, with an area such as this, to jump straight into expensive materials, such as York Stone paving slabs and granite and York Stone setts. In historic streets such as White Friars and Old Hall Place this should be the case. However, in other places such as the Neighbourhood ‘Heart’, Cuppin Street, Back Weaver Street, Commonhall Street and Pierpoint Court, less expensive surface materials can, and perhaps should, be used. In such areas coloured tarmac, for example, could be used as has been the case in the recent resurfacing of Frodsham Street in Chester ( shared use scheme that won the Healthy Street Award in 2019) . The key is to use high quality ‘trims’ (Conservation / granite kerbs and channels) and high-quality street furniture. The Council’s Commonhall Street Design Guide and its materials and street furniture guidelines provide the necessary guidance for this. This neighbourhood should be a cool, vibrant and colourful place – an alternative to the formality of Chester’s Row streets. Therefore, the surface treatments and street furniture can have a more quirky, creative and artistic feel – involving local designers and artisans - and its design needs to be led by the local residents of this neighbourhood.

image via Twitter @aaldakheelalla

funding There are a number of possible funding approaches available – though these are limited. The key ones are:

Shared Prosperity Fund – Currently open – the Council has been allocated £12.5 m from the Government's Shared Prosperity Fund as part of its Levelling Up agenda. This funding includes investments to build local pride including community-led projects. This funding will be aimed at projects that promote healthy and safe neighbourhoods, with investments that should improve the quality of places that people want to live, play and learn in - including improvements to the built and natural environment. The White Friars neighbourhood masterplan would seem to be ripe for this funding.

The Council is required to produce its investment plans for this funding by 1st August 2022.

Cheshire West & Chester Council Funding

– The Council obviously can fund such projects under its own Capital Programme – as a whole, in part or programmed over a number of years. The Council may be interested in this approach because of the obvious sustainable development and sustainable transport aims that underpin the masterplan. The fact that this is a community-led initiative with obvious neighbourhood liveability aspirations should also make this an attractive investment for the Council. The Council will need to spend its monies on essential maintenance works to the street surfaces in the area anyway over the coming years, given their current state of repair. It is sometimes beneficial for a Council to substitute maintenance budget funding (which is always under pressure) for a larger Capital Programme spend. City-centre living will accelerate over the coming years with projects such as Northgate 2 coming on stream. The Council will face similar pressure to enhance other parts of the city centre as liveable neighbourhoods if city centre living is to be a success. The Council could consider supporting the project as a pilot for this liveable urban centre living approach. The Cheshire & Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) may wish to support this for similar reasons, as the promotion of city and town centre living in Chester is a priority for the LEP.

Safer Streets Fund (SSF) – some elements of the masterplan may be eligible for Safer Streets Funding from the Home Office. This is aimed at town and city centres and neighbourhoods. Although mainly aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour projects, projects aimed at improving the feeling of safety in public spaces are eligible. The current SSF Round 4 bidding period has just closed – but there may be future rounds.

Active Travel England – a new fund aimed at encouraging walking and cycling and the uptake of e-cycles. This is a large fund (£200m) with a strong focus on cycling and walking – however, elements of the masterplan around walking and connectivity could well be successful – particularly the enhancement and waymarking of the lanes and alleyways and the neighbourhood ‘heart’.

image via La Pepiniere

National Lottery - Community

Fund – a fund aimed at smaller projects that is targeted at organisations whose ambitions are shaped by the people they serve and supporting their communities. This fund has been used in other places to support the creation of temporary play streets and street animation schemes. The deadline for the next round is 30th September 2022.

Community Funding – there are three possible opportunities here: • Crowd Funding – this would be for the local community to fund priority elements of the masterplan itself. Cheshire Crowd via Spacehive platform is being used for this. However, this is aimed at relatively small-scale community initiatives and will be more likely appropriate for neighbourhood activities and street animation, rather than any physical elements of the masterplan. • Neighbourhood Funding – residents could invest in delivering elements of the masterplan themselves. This is more likely to be small distinct projects – but it could make a difference over time. • Commercial Investment – there is continuous development in the area and local businesses trade from premises in the Neighbourhood ‘Heart’ area. It would be an attractive investment for a café / bar owner to increase the number of available covers through additional outdoor space, or a developer of new homes to invest in enhancing the environment of the potential residents of the new homes they are building.

Utility Companies – there are works planned by the utility companies in the area – e.g. major works at the eastern end of White Friars. Discussions with these companies could mean that reinstatement works are designed with the masterplan vision in mind.

a cocktail and programmed approach It is more likely that the funding approach will be via a cocktail of all available funding sources, including funding programmes that have not as yet been launched. Neighbourhood liveability is increasingly becoming a priority for Government. Therefore, it is likely that it will develop and launch calls for such initiatives – particularly those that are community led. Key to success for such likely future funding opportunities will be the availability of ‘oven-ready’ projects – particularly exemplars such as White Friars. Community and/or Council match funding is usually a prerequisite for such programmes and would increase the likelihood of success. Therefore, the work on the masterplan and its funding ‘business case’ needs to be continued in readiness for any such funding opportunities that will arise. This ‘cocktail’ approach is a more pragmatic way forward – where the masterplan needs to be broken down into individual deliverable packages and programmed over time. This should be part of the masterplan’s next steps. image via La Pepiniere

neighbourhood action and initiative Some community activities don’t cost much but can be very effective in changing the image of a place and in creating greater liveability. Temporary closure of roads to create Play Streets or to hold street events are powerful tools for change. Many communities have successfully delivered temporary Play Streets in London, some with support from the National Lottery. Hoole in Chester has been particularly successful in organising temporary street events. The participation of both residents and businesses with the support of the Council is critical for this.

now – shout about it! The Commonhall Square neighbourhood now has a vision. The masterplan process and the plan itself illustrates this vision. The next thing to do is for the community to shout about it though a co-ordinated community-led communications campaign.

image via Pinterest

_appendix 01_area appraisal White Friars area- a real gem. The historic context of White Friars itself was summarised eloquently by Donald Insall Associates, one of the most respected firms of conservation architects in the land: ‘White Friars is undoubtedly one of Chester’s most architecturally and historically significant streets embodying much of the history of the city in its built fabric” Sometimes many of the city centre’s side streets are treated as somewhat second rate to the Chester’s Row streets - White Friars is however, undoubtedly one of Chester’s historic gems – and it needs to be recognised as such and it should be treated better. The area amounts to a quarter of the Roman city and has a heritage that is over 2,000 years old. It traces the history of the city from its military origins, through its ecclesiastical periods, city government and its rise as a trading powerhouse. Its latest role is as an emerging vibrant city-centre neighbourhood. This unique heritage and the area’s transition needs to be acknowledged, celebrated and nurtured – not seen as a forgotten back-water and ignored.

a real neighbourhood in the heart of Chester city centre The White Friars area is changing, and changing rapidly. A combination of property values, demand for city-centre offices and the increased attractiveness of the city centre as a place to live, has transformed the area into a mixed-use residential neighbourhood. White Friars itself now has a residential community of 52 adults, 10 children and 8 dogs. Commonhall Street, Cuppin Street and Back Weaver Street are even more residentially dominated, and with the new residential development starting at Commonhall Street / Pierpoint Court this will further increase. The area has changed from one where few people lived, into an area where it is now a residential neighbourhood. This transition continues to accelerate.

residents now expect more Watergate Street compared to Back Weaver Stret

Families living in these streets demand a living environment that is more attractive, liveable and above all safe – this is not too much to expect. High density and historic city centre residential properties have little or no open space within their demise. Small rear yards and off-street parking areas at best. This is particularly the case for the residents living in the apartment conversions. Increasingly residents within streets like White Friars expect their streets outside their front doors to become part of their living environment – to safely enjoy and in which to socialise. This is impossible, currently, for the residents of White Friars – with its harsh hard surface treatment, lack of greenery, domination of vehicles running close to their front doors, little pedestrian space or pedestrian refuge and parked cars. Residents now expect and demand more.

a tale of contrasting street approaches There is a feeling that these historic back streets are treated as second rate as compared to Chester’s Row streets – beauty sometimes is only skin deep!

Bridge Street compared to Pierpoint Court

lost and forgotten spaces Some important spaces have been forgotten over time and should be rediscovered:

Commonhall Street: A wide and hidden space at the heart of this neighbourhood. When walking from Bridge Street, Watergate Street and White Friars through the narrow lanes – the space suddenly and unexpectedly opens up, becoming fronted by commercial and hospitality premises. The space is, however, currently ill-formed with a patchwork of ownership and boundary and surface treatments. The new residential development fronting onto Commonhall Street and Pierpoint Court will complete the enclosure of this space. This is a ‘square’ waiting to be discovered.

The junction of Grosvenor Street, Bridge Street and Pepper Street: A gateway into the Roman City and the Row streets – now an area of barren tarmac, a service bay, poor and patched concrete flags, street and traffic management clutter, and sad looking trees.

The junction of Grosvenor Street and Cuppin Street: Formerly a focus of bars and restaurants with the form of a city square – but now just a forgotten area of raised grass and planting bed, and a forlorn yucca plant.

Junction of Weaver Street and White Friars: A strange area of grassed ‘lawn’ at the entrance to one of Chester’s most historic streets.

a well-connected place with poor legibility The area is seemingly well connected, with lanes and pedestrian alleyways radiating off Commonhall Street to Watergate Street and Bridge Street, at both Row and street levels. However, wayfinding is non-existent and these connections aren’t legible. Some of these routes run through areas of dereliction or unsightly rear servicing areas and bin stores. Some of the routes are closed to the public. Although the area is well connected it is difficult to find one’s way around - unless you are a local. There is no wayfinding information on either Watergate Street or Bridge Street that indicates this neighbourhood exists.

a lack of facilities expected in a modern sustainable urban community: There are no: • Facilities for children to play and for residents to interact and socialise outdoors • On-street bicycle storage or parking facilities for local residents and workers in the area’s offices to use • Dedicated parking bays for car club or car sharing vehicle parking – to encourage car usership as an alternative to car ownership • On-street charging facilities for electric vehicles and micro-EVs for residents. The increasing number of children who live in the neighbourhood have to socialise in the city centre’s main streets or on the Rows, and have to walk to Grosvenor Park or the Roodee to find green space and play facilities. Although the neighbourhood is inherently sustainable, the lack of smart facilities enabling residents to move away from owning their own fossil fuel power cars, is holding the community back in its aspiration of being an exemplar in sustainable city centre living. Communities will increasingly expect this as standard.

traffic calming is minimal: The only forms of traffic calming evident in the area are controlling the turn into Cuppin Street, the use of parked cars to narrow carriageway widths, and the one-way system in White Friars. It is debatable how effective these measures are, particularly as the policy seems to promote the activity of the general ‘hunting’ for free car parking spaces throughout the neighbourhood. The use of tightly packed parking to slow vehicles in White Friars, is leading to the damage of historic footways and could be seen as a dangerous approach in a street where increasing numbers of children live. The expected approach of using physical traffic calming devises, such as narrowing street gateways, in a central city neighbourhood are just not employed.

the balance if car parking is wrong It is acknowledged that getting the balance between residents-only car parking and general parking to serve businesses on the High Street is a difficult one. However, the existing system encourages the practice of ‘hunting’ for free car parking spaces. Plus, the time sharing of residents-only parking spaces with general parkers means that the provision of residents on-street EV charging facilities and car club / car sharing spaces is difficult. The effective deployment of ANPR measures to control unwanted traffic is also negated. The High Street is now in transition – gone are the large multiple retailers and department stores, being replaced by smaller independent operators. These businesses are more flexible in terms of their servicing requirements. They realise that their future is more dependant upon Chester city centre becoming a more liveable place, with more people choosing to live in strong central neighbourhoods such as White Friars, and using the High Street. The current approach of using the White Friars area as a general short-term car park is now out-moded and outdated – the balance is increasingly wrong. copyright Andy Farrall Limited 2022

a damaged and worn-out public realm The area is being damaged by vehicles over-running footways, turning and reversing in the narrow streets. Surface repairs are patchy and poor. Areas along Commonhall Street and Back Weaver Street are just worn out. This is sad for one of Chester’s most historic areas in the heart of, what is acknowledged as, one of the most beautiful historic cities in Europe.

a place for vehicles not people The area is dominated by the car and the service vehicle. It feels more like a city-centre car park, service yard and rat-run, than a place for people to safely live and enjoy. Pedestrians play second fiddle to the motor vehicle with all of the public realm given over to cars and delivery vehicles. In some places there are little or no footways, and in many places the surface of streets is badly worn and damaged. Bin stores and vacant plots give parts of the area a neglected feel. Yet it is emerging as a place where people increasingly want to live – it just needs to be made more liveable and a change in policy approach is urgently required.

_a street-by-street overview Back Weaver Street and Old Hall Place Increasingly a residential street – but dominated by large service vehicles, unsightly bins, a barren parking court, vacant and unsightly plots, crumbling walls and historic buildings in a poor state of repair

Cuppin Street A residential street plagued by rat-running traffic endeavouring to short cut the ring road’s Grosvenor Roundabout:

White Friars A beautiful and narrow historic street increasingly residential in nature – plagued by ratrunning vehicles mounting footways, damaged surfaces, three-point (plus) turning and reversing into private driveways. Narrow or non-existent footways mean that some residents step out of their front doors directly onto the carriageway, and manoeuvring vehicles pass within inches of front doors and living room windows.

Commonhall Street Increasingly the residential and commercial heart of the neighbourhood – dominated by cars ‘hunting’ for free car parking spaces, large areas of barren tarmac, worn and damaged surfacing and unsightly and under-utilised spaces.

Pierpoint Court A new residential street with new family homes being built at the heart of this urban neighbourhood – dominated by servicing yards provided for the large former Owen Owen department store, large areas of barren tarmac in a poor state of repair, bland rear building facades and poor boundary enclosure – a largely forgotten part of the city centre.

Weaver Street A link street and gateway to the neighbourhood - dominated by uncontrolled car parking, ‘hunting’ for free car parking spaces, poor boundary treatments and large areas of barren tarmac.

in general: An emerging city centre sustainable residential neighbourhood that will become increasingly residential at an accelerated pace. A growing vibrant creative community in the heart of the city. However, the public realm is in poor condition and the area is neglected. Its historic fabric is being damaged, it is dominated by cars hunting for free car parking spaces and service vehicles and it is plagued by rat-running. A place at the heart of one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, but with little public space to enjoy and for children to play.

_appendix 02_policy context The Commonhall 'square' masterplan delivers many of the policy and programme aspirations – local, subregional and national: • The Council Plan (CW&C) • Cheshire West Place Plan (CW&C and NHS) • Health Impact Strategy (CW&C & NHS) • Health Improvement Strategy (CW&C) • Cycling Strategy (CW&C) • Cheshire West & Chester Local Plan (CW&C) • Play Strategy (CW&C) • Stronger Futures (CW&C) • Chester ‘One City Plan’ (CW&C) – existing and emerging revision versions • Chester Public Realm Design Guide (CW&C) • Chester City Centre Conservation Area Management Plan (CW&C) • Chester Transport Strategy (CW&C) • Climate Emergency Response Plan (CW&C) • Highways Asset Management Strategy (CW&C) • Local Transport Plan (CW&C) • Local Cycling and Walking Infrasturcture Plan (CW&C) • Parking Strategy (CW&C) • Parks and Green Spaces Strategy (CW&C) • Strategic Economic Plan (C&W LEP) • Quality of Place Strategy (C&W LEP) • Destination Management Plan (C&W LEP / Marketing Cheshire) • Housing Strategy and Delivery Plan (C&W LEP) • Safer Streets (Cheshire Police, CW&C and HMG) • Beating Crime Plan (HMG) • Safer Places (HMG) • Levelling Up the UK (HMG) • Our Plan for the High Street (HMG) • Parking and Green Spaces Strategy (CW&C) • Grear Change (HMG) Other Contextual Guidance / Studies: • • • • •

Commonhall Street Development Brief (CW&C) Chester Characterisation Study (CW&C/ TY) Reimagining Chester High Street – CBRE / CW&C Reimagining Sustainable Transport in Chester – Thinking Smart Mobility (Chester Growth Partnership and Chester BID) Chester Rows – Heritage Action Zone (HE / CW&C)

Key: CW&C – Cheshire West & Chester Council NHS – National Health Service C&W LEP – Cheshire & Warrington Local enterprise Partnership HMG – Her Majesty’s Government Chester BID – Chester Business Improvement District HE – Historic England

Commonhall Square Neighbourhood Masterplan ACTIVITY/ COMMUNITY/ PEOPLE/ PLACE community contacts: WFRA Vanessa & Clive Bond mobile: 07970 980011 / 07765 251672 Tony Swindells mobile: 07872 874545 CSARA Rob Hulme mobile: 07976 216452 CSCG Barbara Johnson mobile: 07805 066596

ANDY FARRALL LIMITED

GROWTH - REGENERATION - URBAN DESIGN - DEVELOPMENT - GOVERNMENT - STRATEGIC ADVISE director: Andy Farrall BA(Hons) MA PGDIP MRTPI with support from:

Commonhall Square Neighbourhood Masterplan

Articles inside

8. next steps

4. structuring the place – reinforcing the neighbourhood

appendix 2 - policy context

2. residents aims and objectives

1. introduction and context