Chester: Former Mecca Bingo site to become 142-room hotel

The plans, which were first submitted in December 2023, were approved last week by the Council’s planning committee.

The incoming Hotel Chester will boast standard and deluxe rooms over seven storeys to be run by a world-leading hotel operator.  A total of 748 square metres of serviced office space will accompany the hotel within a retained part of the development fronting Brookdale Place.

Developer TAG plans to retain the iconic mock-Tudor frontage and demolish the rear of the building, which will be replaced with a new piece of architecture that reflects the city’s history.

The site by the Shropshire Union Canal lies within the ‘Chester City Gateway’ area and is a five-minute walk from the train station.

The mock-Tudor building will be retained.

However, the development has been criticised by some residents, who have raised concerns about the impact of congestion, noise and access, and the scale of the new building.

These sentiments have been echoed by other organisations, including the Chester Civic Trust, who said that whilst they would welcome a “sympathetic redevelopment” of the site, with the rear and side of the former Gaumont palace cinema being “ugly and ill-mannered structures”, they consider the height and massing “too great”.

The Chester and Merseyside Branch of the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) added that the hotel’s height “would set a precedent for future developments in this area.”

Officer Report and decision

The Council’s Officer Report states: “The demolition of the existing bingo hall would remove a well-documented and widely accepted negative visual detractor from the Chester Canal Conservation Area and Chester City Conservation Area.

“The redevelopment of this site has been highlighted in numerous studies as summarised above with the aim of creating an active frontage alongside the canal which is achieved in this proposal. The provision of shared surface treatment the length of the adapted area of Union Terrace would visually benefit the setting as well as enhancing safety of highway users to the site.

“The proposed retention of the entrance range fronting Brookdale Place and its refurbishment to offices would create an appropriate city centre use for this non-designated heritage asset and will secure its future.

“Whilst acknowledging the proposed hotel would have a greater visual impact than the current bingo hall from some views and would alter the skyline, the proposed hotel - due to its high quality design, use of well-considered materials and creation of an active frontage alongside the canal - would enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Areas and demonstrates special regard for the desirability of preserving the surrounding listed buildings and their settings.

“Therefore, in accordance with the Conservation and Design Team’s conclusion, the proposal would result overall in ‘no harm’ to the heritage assets, including any archaeological evidence which would be secured by way of condition. These positive factors are assigned significant weight.”

The report adds that the development would create employment both during and after construction which would contribute to the city’s economy and that ecological enhancement measures will benefit local wildlife.

It also adds: “A recent study concluded there is no need for more hotels in Chester city but this is not a determinative factor as no public benefit needs to be demonstrated to off set any heritage harm.”

The retained mock-Tudor building on Brookdale Place is to be used as offices for the planning authority which to ensure “an appropriate level of control over the future use of the premises and in the interests of this non-designated heritage asset.”

The report concludes: “It is considered that the proposed hotel and office would bring significant benefits overall with regards to visual amenity, heritage assets, ecology and the local economy to outweigh the limited impact on residential amenity above and planning permission subject to the following conditions is recommended.”