THE UNIVERSITY of LAW, CHRISTLETON Welcome

1 THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW, CHRISTLETON Welcome

Thank you for taking the time to contribute to our consultation about the redevelopment of the Christleton Hall site.

Your views are important to help us develop our final detailed scheme and are very much appreciated.

A new future for the site SITE The University of Law will soon be vacating the Christleton site to move to a new location which is better suited to its needs. As a result, an appropriate new use for the site needs to be found which ensures its future viability, including safeguarding the Listed Building and other historic structures. CHRISTLETON The property is an existing developed, brownfield site within the Green Belt HALL located on the edge of the village and close to all its amenities. It is therefore very well suited to residential redevelopment whilst the Listed Building lends itself to a respectful office use.

This is an exciting opportunity for us to present options for a sensitive, housing-led regeneration scheme that will facilitate the refurbishment of the Listed Building and for the local community to comment on.

We welcome your views and comments that will help us to shape the final CHRISTLETON plans for redevelopment of this site. 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW, CHRISTLETON Existing Development On The Site A selection of images, showing some of the large, University buildings: 3 THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW, CHRISTLETON The Steve Morgan Foundation

A key benefit of the proposed development is the improvement and enhancement of the Grade II Listed Christleton Hall, which will be carefully restored to its former glory to become the headquarters offices for the Steve Morgan Foundation and Bridgemere UK plc. Unsympathetic modern extensions and ancillary buildings which currently detract from the Georgian Hall will be removed to improve the historic environment.

The Steve Morgan Foundation is a charitable body. It has an exemplary track record both locally and nationally and is committed to delivering social change to improve the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society. This includes vital research, children’s events, providing disabled children and adults with specialist equipment and most recently constructing the new Maggie’s Cancer Centres at Clatterbridge and the Royal Liverpool Hospital.

The charity has achieved huge success over a number of years and some of the most recent achievements include:

• Assets of £300 million committed since 2001. In 2017 Steve Morgan personally donated £200 • Over 200,000 families have been supported. million to the foundation, which is one of the biggest • Over 75 smiley buses donated to date. They can regularly be seen running charitable donations in UK history. all over Cheshire, North Shropshire, Merseyside and North Wales.

• Almost £10 million donated in the last financial year to predominantly local charities.

• Commitment of £5million to new Maggie’s cancer support centres at Clatterbridge Cancer Hospital and the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

• Over £4m funding to JDRF, the diabetes research charity to enable its ground- breaking research programme.

• Development of a major new £4.5 million youth zone in Wolverhampton, acting in conjunction with the local authority.

• And most recently, the pledge of £1 million per week to assist local charities throughout the Covid-19 crisis. 4 THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW, CHRISTLETON Development Options

The relocation of the University provides a unique opportunity to redevelop this brownfield site, to bring the listed Christleton Hall back into meaningful re-use and to create a high-quality residential development, which is well-integrated and responds sensitively to the surroundings of Christleton.

Bridgemere Land plc and the Steve Morgan Foundation are currently exploring two principal options for the sustainable redevelopment of the site, which are detailed below:

Option 1 KEY

This option comprises: 1 30 detached houses

• The refurbishment and restoration of Christleton Hall to provide headquarters 2 12 affordable bungalows 1 office accommodation for the Steve Morgan Foundation and Bridgemere UK plc. for the elderly

• The demolition of unsympathetic extensions to the Hall and all the other modern 3 Offices for the Steve Morgan Foundation buildings in the grounds. and Bridgemere UK plc

• The provision of 30 detached houses and 12 affordable bungalows for the elderly.

• Comprehensive landscaping scheme and creation of public open space.

• 30% affordable housing will be delivered on the site in accordance with Local Plan Policy. 2

The design and character of the new housing will be appropriate to the edge of village setting and will be based on a detailed character analysis on other 3 succesful developments within the Cheshire villages. The new housing will help to refund the restoration of Christleton Hall and the provision of affordable bungalows for the elderly.

House Types

Indicative selection of house types that are being considered. 5 THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW, CHRISTLETON Development Options

Option 2

This comprises:

• The refurbishment and restoration of Christleton Hall to provide headquarters office accommodation for the Steve Morgan Foundation and Bridgemere UK plc. KEY

• The demolition of unsympathetic extensions to the Hall and all the other 1 20 open market dwellings modern buildings in the grounds and 15 shared ownership/ afforable homes. • The provision of a 2-storey apartment block to the rear of Christleton Hall comprising 24 apartments including 3 affordable/shared ownership 2 24 apartments including 3 1 apartments. affordable/shared ownership apartments. • The provision of 35 terraced, semi-detached and detached houses, including 15 shared ownership houses. 3 Offices for the Steve Morgan Foundation and Bridgemere UK plc • Comprehensive landscaping scheme of the whole site.

• 30% affordable housing will be delivered on the site in accordance with Local Plan Policy. 2

House Types

Indicative selection of house types that are being considered. 6 THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW, CHRISTLETON Key Benefits

• Retention and enhancement of the principal Listed Building removing later extensions and restoring it to its former glory.

• Establishing a viable and permanent new use for the Hall as the headquarters offices for the charitable Steve Morgan Foundation and Bridgemere UK plc. which avoids the risk of it falling into disrepair when the University vacates the site.

• Provision of a range of high-quality new homes in a convenient edge of village setting close to local amenities.

• 30% affordable housing in line with Cheshire West and Chester Council’s policy requirements.

• The development will create employment opportunities, both during the construction period and long term within the offices: 25 - 30 jobs, many of which are new positions.

• Section 106 contributions for community benefit.

• Improved sustainability for local services and facilities from increased patronage. 7 THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW, CHRISTLETON Key Considerations Landscape

Green Belt Openness

• The village of Christleton, including the site, is located within the North Cheshire Green Belt which covers approximately half of the borough. Canada House, 3 Chepstow Street, Manchester M1 5FW • Existing built form at Christleton Hall and extensive areas of car parking and 0161 228 7721 [email protected] www.randallthorp.co.uk hardstanding, result in the eastern part of the site being perceived as part of the village. This is reflected in the Cheshire Landscape Character Assessment which places the eastern half of the site in the ‘urban’ area, and the western part of the Littleton KEY: site in ‘Cheshire Plain West’ landscape character area.

• The proposals restrict built form to the eastern part of the site which has been Approx. extent of the site previously developed. Development density, scale and massing will be designed Green Belt to maintain Green Belt openness. Public right of way • Established peripheral tree planting occurs along most site boundaries. Where 3 F applicable, this provides a strong and well-defined physical boundary between P 1 Na� onal trail the site and the wider Green Belt, and contributes to visual screening and a sense of containment. Traﬃ c-free cycle route

• To maintain the perceived openness of the wider Green Belt, existing boundary Bridleway

planting will be retained and protected. Planting will be enhanced at the northern

and eastern site boundaries where public footpath routes enable views towards C x

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2 o Strategy 2016

• Appropriate development will not adversely affect the perceived openness of the F P LCT9: Cheshire Plain West 1 Green Belt around Christleton. 2 LCA9d: Saughall to Waverton Plain SITE Canada House, 3 Chepstow Street,Street, ManchesterManchester M1M1 5FW5FW Urban 0161 228 7721 [email protected] www.randallthorp.co.ukwww.randallthorp.co.uk 1

LittletonLittleton KEY:

Approx. extent ofof thethe sitesite

Green Belt Christleton Public right of wayway

L L F i 3 F t i 3 P t P 1 l 1 e l National trail e National trail t o t o n n 22 Traffic-free cyclecycle routeroute

Bridleway

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F F P P LCT9: Cheshire PlainPlain WestWest 1 1 2 2 LCA9d: Saughall toto WavertonWaverton PlainPlain SITESITE Christleton Hall, Urban 11 Christelton, Chester

Green Belt plan ChristletonChristleton

Drwg No: 794A 01 Date: 17.03.20 Drawn by: CAW Checker: NJ Scale 1:10,000 Rev by: Rev checker: Bridgemere Group QM Status: checked Product Status: Conﬁ den� al review North 0m 100 200 300 400 500m 1000m Scale: 1: 10,000 @ A3 Christleton Hall, Christelton, Chester

Green Belt plan

Drwg No: 794A 01 Date:Date: 17.03.2017.03.20 Drawn by: CAW Checker:Checker: NJNJ Rev by: Rev checker: ScaleScale 1:10,000 1:10,000 Rev by: Rev checker: QM Status: checked ProductProduct Status:Status: Confidential review 0m 100 200 300 400 500m 1000m Confidential review NorthNorth 0m 100 200 300 400 500m 1000m Scale: 1: 10,000 @ A3 8 THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW, CHRISTLETON Key Considerations Landscape

Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment

The planning application will include a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment to consider the effects of the proposed development on:

LANDSCAPE FEATURES

The site features several existing trees - some of which have high value. The proposals will seek to retain existing trees wherever possible and will provide mitigation tree planting to replace any high value trees which cannot be retained.

The walled garden represents the remnants of a once characterful landscape feature within the site. The remains of the wall and many of the existing trees within the garden will be retained, and bungalows for the elderly will be introduced to provide surveillance and to discourage the walled garden from becoming an area for anti-social behaviour. Photograph 1 - View from Pepper Street, showing existing tree screening.

LANDSCAPE CHARACTER

The site is located within the ‘Saughall to Waverton Plain’ landscape character area. This is an urban-fringe landscape with significant development density already. The enclosed nature of the site created by existing vegetation at the site boundaries ensures that the effects of development on the wider landscape character area will be minimal.

VIEWS

The site has limited visibility in the wider landscape due to topography and landscape features. Existing planting at the site boundaries heavily filters views into the site from publicly accessible areas. Retention and enhancement of boundary planting will assist in minimising visual effects of the development from public viewpoints.

Photograph 2 - View of site from north-east corner looking south.

Approximate extent of the site

Photograph 3 - View from Pearl Lane, showing the extent of the existing tree screening. 9 THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW, CHRISTLETON Key Considerations Heritage

Christleton Hall

Christleton Hall is a Grade II listed Georgian country house, formerly belonging to the Townsend Inces, which dates from the 18th century.

A three-storey red-brick building, with Georgian elevations largely intact to the west and south, however extended extensively during the 19th and 20th centuries, with lost features to the north and east.

The site was extensively developed following its acquisition by the University of Law in the 1970s and three modern buildings, built in the 1980s are sited to the north and east of the hall.

1847 Tithe Map

The earliest cartographic evidence of Christleton Hall is the Tithe Map of 1847.

Christleton Hall is evident as a large isolated building on the western edge of the village.

Christleton Hall (Plot 10) is shown in its original Georgian form with significant outbuildings to the north and east of the property

1899 Ordnance Survey Map What Next The Ordnance Survey (OS) Map, Sketch Proposals Historic Building Research Please fill out a feedback form or if you have published in 1899, shows a number any further queries, please contact Jonathan of changes to the property and Donald Insall Associates have been Based upon a brief initial assessment, we Masters: the grounds. The Hall has been commissioned to carry out a Historic present a possible option to reinstate this [email protected] considerably extended to the Building Report to fully understand fine Georgian house for its conversion to north and east. the evolution of Christleton Hall and offices for the Steve Morgan Foundation You will also be able to provide comments its significance, so that we can apply and Bridgemere UK plc, including retention directly to Cheshire West and Chester Council The OS Map also indicates that the this understanding to proposals for of a Victorian entrance and reinstatement when the planning application has been western elevation has become the the demolition of modern extensions of lost Georgian architectural details. submitted. primary access with a new formalised and the conversion to offices, approach. Further changes such as protecting significant features whilst the addition of the ‘billiard room’ were creating a new life opportunity fit for We look forward to hearing typical of the changing fashions of the 21st century. the Victorian era. your thoughts.