Handbridge United Reformed Church Handbridge Chester CH4 7JF Data via plota.co.uk

26/01820/FUL - Full Application Awaiting decision
Change of useSchools, care & communityNew homes

Proposal

Conversion and extension of the former church building to provide a purpose-built student accommodation comprising 23 studios, and communal area. Associated landscaping and cycle parking. Data via plota.co.uk

Track application Save this application and get an email when its status or decision changes. Alerts nearby Get email alerts for new planning applications near this address.
View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
15 Jun 2026
✓
Validated
24 Jul 2026
Decision
Expected by 18 Sept 2026

Under consideration

No decision has been issued yet. Plota predicts a decision around 9 Oct 2026, from Chester's recent changes of use.

The consultation period closed on 27 Aug 2026.

Documents 12

Statements & assessments 6

PDF BNG METRIC Document · 13 Jul 2026 View ↗ PDF BNG REPORT Document · 15 Jun 2026 View ↗ PDF TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT Document · 15 Jun 2026 View ↗ PDF DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT Document · 15 Jun 2026 View ↗ PDF HERITAGE STATEMENT Document · 15 Jun 2026 View ↗ PDF PLANNING STATEMENT Document · 15 Jun 2026 View ↗

Plans & drawings 1

PDF STUDENT ACCOMMODATION MANAGEMENT PLAN Document · 15 Jun 2026 View ↗

Application forms 1

PDF APPLICATION FORM - WITHOUT PERSONAL DATA Application Form · 15 Jun 2026 View ↗

Other documents 4

IMG SITE NOTICE Site Notice · 3 Aug 2026 View ↗ IMG SITE PHOTO 2 Photo · 13 Jul 2026 View ↗ IMG SITE PHOTO 1 Photo · 13 Jul 2026 View ↗ PDF PROPERTY CONSULTANT REPORT Document · 15 Jun 2026 View ↗

All documents on the council site ↗

Site constraints 7

Special area of conservation about 201 m away: River Dee and Bala Lake / Afon Dyfrdwy a Llyn Tegid (England)
Work nearby can need a habitats assessment.
Harm to a protected site is only accepted where there is no alternative and an overriding public interest.
Habitat network: Network Enhancement Zone 2
Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.
9 listed buildings within 150 m of the postcode pin
Nearest: Sextons Cottage to St Marys Church, Grade II, about 38 m from the postcode pin · 1 Grade II*, 8 Grade II
The site itself is not listed. Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.
Show all 9 with distances
Historic England ↗
Scheduled monument about 136 m away: Roman quarry including Edgar's Cave and the rock-cut figure of Minerva on Edgar's Field, 150m south west of Dee Bridge
Its setting is a consideration for work nearby.
Nationally important archaeology protected by the Secretary of State. Work that affects the monument or its setting is rarely permitted.
Historic England ↗
SSSI about 203 m away: River Dee (England) SSSI
Natural England may need consulting, depending on what is proposed.
Sites of special scientific interest are the best wildlife and geological sites in the country. Development likely to harm one is rarely permitted.
Also on the record
Radon affected area, class 2; Inside the Chester built-up area.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt

Checked on 6 October 2026. The pin for this application is the centre of its postcode rather than the building, so distances to nearby designations are measured from the postcode and can be out by the width of the postcode area. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the British Geological Survey and UK Health Security Agency (radon, contains BGS materials © UKRI) and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

Sales history 2

Last sold for £245,000 in February 2025. Other property, freehold.

13 February 2025£245,000Recorded as a transfer outside a standard sale
26 March 2021£356,000Recorded as a transfer outside a standard sale

Sale prices from HM Land Registry's price paid record, matched to this application by its address.

Work with planning data?

Every application in Chester - and every UK council - as a live feed, an API, or a bulk CSV export.

About Plota's data service

Nearby new applications

30 Jul 2026Pending

24 Greenway Street Chester CH4 7JS

Like for like replacement of windows to double glazed uPVC equivalents and doors...

26/02395/FUL
25 Sept 2026Pending

Hermitage South Crescent Road Chester CH4 7AU

Lime Tree (T1) in back garden and Lime Tree (T2) in front garden - To be reduced...

26/03081/TPO
22 Sept 2026Pending

Little Roodee Car Park Castle Drive Chester CH1 1SL

2x Ash to be crown raised to give 2m clearance off the cafe building. 1x Elder t...

26/03031/CAT
21 Sept 2026Pending

16 Lower Park Road Chester CH4 7BB

Alterations to the cladding on the front elevation of the property, changing par...

26/03014/FUL
14 Sept 2026Approved

On 8 Shipgate Street Chester CH1 1RT

Install fixed line broadband apparatus. Ref: OGEAA6958383_A00002095677

26/02987/DSM
4 Aug 2026Pending

Charlton House 1A Lower Park Road Chester CH4 7BB

Closure of one existing vehicular access at 1A Charlton House, with the construc...

26/02447/FUL

Important details

Council
Chester
Application type
Full Application
Postcode
CH4 7JF
Received
15 Jun 2026
Validated
24 Jul 2026
Ward
Handbridge Park
Applicant
Show
Agent
Show
Freehold owner
Show

Decision outlook

Day 77, past the statutory target. 66% of changes of use in Chester are decided within thirteen weeks, which runs to 23 Oct 2026; extensions of time are common, and the council need not decide on the day. Last seen undecided on 1 Oct 2026.

Day 7721 days past the 56-day target
45%decided within 8 weeks
68%approved
62decided in the last year

Plota live figures for changes of use decided by Chester in the last twelve months, from validation. Chester decision record →

Public comments

10comments received
10 objecting

100% object · above the UK average of 75%

73 neighbours consulted · Last counted 1 Oct 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-14994473
Planning Portal ref
PP-14994473
Comments by
27 Aug 2026
Env. assessment
No

Historical activity at this location

25 nearby applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2025
Open Spaces At Paradise Chester
T1 Purple crab apple - Reduce 2m and reshape crown by 1m. G1 Birch - Reduce height by 3m…
25/04005/TPO
2025 Approved
22 Greenway Street Chester CH4 7JS
Replacement of windows
25/02498/FUL
2024 Withdrawn
30 Handbridge Chester CH4 7JE
Illuminated Sign which displays the name of the Coffee Shop
24/01055/ADV
2021 Withdrawn
Handbridge United Reformed Church Handbridge Chester Cheshire CH4 7JF
To convert church into 17 residential (C1) short stay apartment units and external altera…
21/04534/FUL
2023 Withdrawn
St Marys Church Overleigh Road Chester Cheshire CH4 7HL
Mature cherry tree - proposed for pruning on one side to reduce impact on adjacent buildi…
23/00266/CAT
2021 Withdrawn
1 South View Chester Cheshire CH4 7EP
Remove existing external chimney stack and repairs to roof
21/04366/FUL
2021 Approved
32 Greenway Street Chester Cheshire CH4 7JS
Replacement windows
21/01508/FUL
2020 Approved
68 Handbridge Chester Cheshire CH4 7JF
Two storey rear extension
20/01396/FUL
2020 Approved
4 Ebury Place Chester Cheshire CH4 7JW
Single storey rear extension and one roof light in existing rear roof
20/01901/FUL
2020 Approved
The Handbridge 66 Handbridge Chester CH4 7JF
Erection of three seating pods and summer house style seating pod
20/00529/FUL
2019 Withdrawn
The Grosvenor Arms 32 Handbridge Chester CH4 7JE
Install new kitchen extract flue to side
19/03880/FUL
2019 Approved
Open Space Paradise Chester Cheshire
G1 Tag 794 Silver Birch tree - Reduce height G1 Tag 795 & 796 - 2 x Cherry trees - Cown l…
19/03609/TPO
2019 Approved
The Grosvenor Arms 32 Handbridge Chester CH4 7JE
Installation of various external signs and associated lighting
19/03587/ADV
2019 Withdrawn
Communal Green At Belgrave Place Chester Cheshire CH4 7JN
Norway Maple (T1), Silver Birch (T2) and Sycamore (T3) - Prune regrowth to existing polla…
19/02698/CAT
2018 Approved
10 Greenway Street Chester Cheshire CH4 7JS
Single storey side and two storey rear extension, single storey extension to existing gar…
18/03597/FUL
2019 Withdrawn
12 Belgrave Place Chester Cheshire CH4 7JN
Eucalyptus (T1) - fell due to mature dimensions being inappropriate to its location
19/00863/CAT
2018 Approved
The Cottage 70 Handbridge Chester Cheshire CH4 7JF
Removal of chimney stack and reparation to part of rear roof
18/04756/FUL
2018 Approved
54 - 56 Handbridge Chester CH4 7JF
Replacement fascia sign and Vinyl company logo to be applied to the 2 no windows
18/04712/ADV
2018 Approved
54 - 56 Handbridge Chester CH4 7JF
Replacement shop front and alterations to front
18/04711/FUL
2018 Approved
Handbridge Service Station Handbridge Chester Cheshire CH4 7JF
Demolition of existing service station and erection of new service station building with…
18/02145/FUL
2017 Approved
Handbridge Institute 1 Overleigh Road Chester Cheshire CH4 7HL
Change the use to B1 (office)
17/01894/FUL
2017 Approved
1 Edgar Place Chester Cheshire CH4 7JY
Single storey rear extension
17/00188/FUL
2016 Approved
The Church Hall St Marys Church Overleigh Road Chester Cheshire CH4 7HL
Demolition of existing church hall and car park boundary walls, and replacement church ha…
16/03264/FUL
2016 Approved
The Church Hall St Marys Church Overleigh Road Chester Cheshire CH4 7HL
Continuation of site storage container (temporarily permitted by permission 13/02426/FUL)
16/02320/FUL
2016 Approved
1 Edgar Place Chester Cheshire CH4 7JY
Demolition of the existing timber shed and creation of new single story rear extension
16/00747/FUL

Sale prices: Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Freehold owner: Information produced by HM Land Registry. © Crown copyright 2026. Source: HM Land Registry, UK and overseas companies that own property in England and Wales, September 2026 release.