Retirement Villages consults over design in Chester

The specialist developer has unveiled designs for its proposed £32m project on a former garden centre site in Boughton Heath near Chester.

Proposed for the former Beechmoor Garden Centre on Whitchurch Road, Boughton Heath, the developer plans to deliver 147 apartments, available to buy and rent, alongside open spaces and amenities, such as a community shop, café and wellness suite, which would be open to local people.

Since the first stage of consultation in May this year, Retirement Villages has been reviewing the feedback received and using it to shape the detailed plans for the site.

Guy Flintoft, planning director of Retirement Villages, said: “We know that one of the main issues people had with the previous plans for the site was the design of the buildings. So, we’ve put a lot of time and effort into taking on board local feedback and looking at the character of the local area. We’re proposing a series of villas which will be set back from the road and screened with planting and trees so they are less visible from Whitchurch Road.”

Flintoft added: “During the last consultation we asked the local community what sort of amenities they would use. It was important to people that we didn’t include facilities that would compete with what’s already in Boughton Heath so we’ve taken that on board. We hope the village will be an asset to Boughton Heath, not only encouraging a high quality of life to those residents that live there, but also bringing amenities and green spaces to those living in the surrounding area.”

Retirement Villages has included cycle hire, electric car charging points, low energy buildings and use of renewable energy sources in its designs.

The latest phase of consultation closes on 28 August. A live online Q&A will be held as part of the consultation on Wednesday 19 August from 6.30pm to 7.30pm. People can sign up by visiting the website www.chesterretirementvillage.co.uk where they can also fill in an online questionnaire.

Following this second stage of consultation, Retirement Villages is set to reveal the final plans later in the year, when a planning application is due to be submitted.

The site has existing planning permission, gained by another developer, also for a retirement village.

Retirement Villages has been developing and managing purpose built, retirement communities for nearly 40 years with 16 villages across the UK. The company was purchased by European insurance and investment company, AXA, in 2017, and has a £100m development pipeline.

The village is being designed by architect RCKa with Barton Willmore the planning consultant. Font Communications is managing the consultation.