CRUNCH talks about Chester Zoo’s controversial multi-million pound development scheme are set to take place next month.
A public meeting will be held by Upton by Chester Parish and District Council in September to discuss the zoo’s Natural Vision Project.
The controversial plans for the £225 million ‘Eden Project of the North’ development sparked fierce debate among residents, councillors, zoo bosses and green belt campaigners, when the application was put forward to Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning board.
The development would include provision for a themed hotel and a ‘Heart of Africa’ biodome development, which will be situated on Green Belt land up to the edge of the A41 from Flag Lane North to the Backford Dip.
Following increased pressure Chester Zoo axed a second hotel and a garden centre from the plans.
Despite the change campaigners and some local residents have mixed feelings about the development and hope to raise their concerns to the council at a meeting at Upton British Legion, Heath Road, Upton, at 7pm on Wednesday, September 8.
Former parish councillor Brenda Southward said the proposals had sparked a lot of discontent among some villagers.
Mrs Southward, of Brook Avenue, Upton, said: “A lot of people are up in arms about the whole thing, but my personal view is that it is good for the village, Chester tourism and jobs. But on the other hand I am concerned about Green Belt land and would not want it to encroach on it too much.”
Upton by Chester Parish and District Council chairman Jean Evans said the meeting was being held to clear up misconceptions about the project.
She said: “We will have a meeting to explain to people what would or could happen. If people didn’t understand the plans, the lead planning officers have been invited to answer people’s questions and it is also a chance to give their views on the project. From here we can gauge what kind of percentage of people are for or against it.”
Campaigners from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) say they are still “seriously concerned” about plans to build on 100 acres of Green Belt land.
Planning co-ordinator for CPRE Ann Jones said: “CPRE is particularly concerned about the impact that the outline proposals will have on the integrity of the Green Belt in the vulnerable narrow space between the built up area of Chester and the built up area of Ellesmere Port.
“Although ‘very special circumstances’ for inappropriate development in the Green Belt may be claimed for the biodome building, part of the detailed plan, which is indeed exceptional, CPRE believes that ‘very special circumstances’ cannot be considered for the outline proposals.”
The group strongly oppose the revised plans for the zoo’s Natural Vision project which will feature a Biodome a third larger than the size of Cornwall’s Eden Project -180 metres long by 90 metres wide and 34 metres tall at its highest point - and a 150-bed themed hotel.
The dome will be home to an African rainforest-themed sanctuary for a band of gorillas, a large troop of chimpanzees, okapi and other rare and threatened species.
Among their objections, CPRE claim that the development is “inappropriate” for the area and would set a precedent for future developments in the area.
A date to discuss the revised application has not yet been set by Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning authority.