Advocacy

From its foundation the Society has set itself a broad agenda and has pursued the linked objectives of seeking the preservation of ancient monuments and buildings and of trying to raise the quality of new development.

We aim to comment on planning policies across the borough of West Cheshire and on major planning applications in Chester.

Our objectives are:

• The recognition, preservation and enhancement of archaeological sites and landscapes and of historic areas and buildings in their settings as evidence for, and illustrations of, past ways of life, for their aesthetic, communal value and sometimes practical value, and for their contribution to local distinctiveness;
• High-quality new buildings and places that respond to local character and history, make their own positive contribution to it, and create sustainable, attractive and comfortable places to live, work and visit;
• Flourishing town centres that are at the heart of mixed communities;
• The maintenance of Green Belt and other green spaces that limit the sprawl of built-up areas, contribute to their setting and enhance their attractiveness.

Over the past fourteen years we have commented on proposals for Green Belt release, Climate Emergency Response plans, the Local Plan and revisions, Transport plans, Cheshire West and Chester heritage services, Heritage Strategies, the relocation of the Cheshire Record Office, various iterations of the Northgate development, the Chester Central Business Quarter and numerous other individual planning applications.

Recurrent points that we have made include:

• Taking an all-embracing view of heritage and emphasising the importance of the past in creating the present and therefore the need for us to understand it properly;
• Minimising damage to archaeological sites in new developments, especially after the losses of the 1960s (eg the Northgate and Bridge Street areas of Chester), the full and accessible publication of excavations, and the display of archaeological remains where practical;
• The importance of fragile rural archaeological remains (eg ridge and furrow) and biocultural (‘natural’) heritage;
• The potential of historic settlements and conservation areas to contribute practically towards understanding and addressing present-day problems of town planning and climate change and creating sustainable, distinctive and attractive places;
• The retention and enhancement of historic streets and buildings;
• ‘Restitching’ historic town centres torn apart  by roads (eg by the Chester Inner Ring Road and Chester Way in Northwich) and the reduction of motor traffic and car parks to permit a better appreciation of built heritage and the recreation of urban grain on a human scale;
• The need for masterplanning and the integration of new development with roads and transport, including green spaces, street trees and cycleways;
• The critical importance in new development of good architectural design that contributes positively to the townscape;
• The waste of land caused by the construction of car-dependent out-of-town retail parks, to the detriment of potentially more accessible town centres;
• The potential of Chester as a historic central place in understanding urban change, connectivity and the deep roots of regionalism and multiculturalism, and the consequent need for a larger museum in Chester.