REIMAGINING THE ROWS PROJECT.
From the left: Tony Barton (Donald Insall Associates ), Cllr. Richard Beacham, Guy Evans (Cassidy + Ashton) and Tony Swindells (Openhome).
Cheshire West and Chester Council collaborate with Chester Great and Small on its Reimagining the Rows project.
A newly formed community interest company and think-and-do tank, Chester Great and Small (GAS), is to collaborate with CWaC to produce a ‘how to’ guide for the Reimagining the Rows project, which has emerged as a priority from the recent review of the One City Plan (OCP). The guide is intended to attract investment in the mixed-use development of the city’s unique and historic 750-year-old Rows.
CWaC will be working with a number of leading professionals in the city and the team will initially be led by senior CWaC officers Rob Charnley and Lee Nickson. GAS expertise will be provided on a pro-bono basis from three of its ambassadors and leading architects – Tony Barton, chair of Donald Insall Associates (DIA); Guy Evans, director Cassidy + Ashton (C+A) and Tony Swindells, founder director of developer Openhome (OH) and GAS vice-chair. The trio will combine their respective expertise across architecture, heritage, planning, development and investment strategy.
The Reimagining the Rows guide will comprise of a series of case studies spelling out the challenges as well as showing best practice of Rows properties – such as the recently completed C+A scheme at 19 Eastgate Street, together with speculative suggestions for both the Dutch Houses on Bridge Street and Grade 1 listed Leche House on Watergate Street – which will be produced to showcase the ‘living over the shop’ concept adapted for 21st Century needs, whilst respecting and retaining original historic features.
These case studies, alongside supporting policy documentation, will complement the existing Conservation Management Plan/Chester Rows Design Guide already produced by DIA for CWaC earlier this year. Currently undergoing a 12-month trial, a summary document will be published in 2024. The review will coincide with the Q1 launch of the Reimagining the Rows guide, with the intention to formally present the finalised version at UKREiiF in May 2024, with GAS as a supporting partner to Chester BID’s #InvestChester campaign.
With local authority budgets being put under increasing pressure and scrutiny, it is recognised that there is a real opportunity for GAS volunteers from the private sector to work collaboratively to help drive regeneration and economic growth. With the decline of the high-street in a post-pandemic, climate-emergency landscape, private investment is much needed to develop the vacant upper floors of the Rows into residential accommodation, resulting in an increased, sustainable and diverse city-centre population.
Councillor Richard Beacham, Leader’s Champion for the One City Plan said: “The Rows have a vibrant and exciting history, but over the past century the hidden spaces above the lower levels have become used for storage, or worse, not used at all. Now is the time for Chester to encourage property owners to invest in bringing these spaces back into use as homes or studio spaces. People want to live here and they want to work here, and what better place than the unique Chester Rows. These quirky and interesting spaces, steeped in hundreds of years of history, need to return to their original purpose as homes and business places for the people of Chester.”
Tony Swindells, director, OH and GAS vice-chair commented: “The key to regeneration is collaboration. Within Chester there is the talent, expertise and insight to deliver internally. Together, working as a team, we can unlock the full potential and historical significance of the Rows as a unique mixed-use set of buildings.”
The Reimagining the Rows project will not only bring about positive action against a key OCP objective but also provide much-needed protection for one of Chester’s most iconic heritage assets. Unique to Western Europe and dating back to the 13th century, the system of half-timbered galleried walkways run above the street-level shops, giving access to a second tier, which has been added to and rebuilt over the following centuries. Meeting at ‘The Cross’ the Rows are a surviving element of the Roman fortress and as Chester’s four main streets, they have strongly influenced the form and layout of the surrounding city.
In recent years the Rows have also benefited from Government funding of £1.08M for Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) improvements which are still being rolled out.
Read in CHESTER STANDARD
