Update on collapsed section of Chester's City Walls

Specialist engineers Balvac, part of Balfour Beatty are establishing a work compound at Dee House this week as they prepare the first stage of repairs to the collapsed section on Chester's City Walls.

In 2020 a section of the wall collapsed close to the Eastgate clock. Cheshire West and Chester Council engineers, alongside external specialists, designed and built scaffold propping to prevent the outer wall from collapsing as well. A temporary walkway was incorporated into the scaffold propping so that residents, visitors and businesses could still enjoy this section of the walls. The scaffold was carefully designed to protect the Wesley Church Centre, take into account crypts and other buried archaeology between the Church and the City Walls, and maintain a fire escape route for the surrounding buildings.

Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Highways said:

“The site of the collapse is landlocked, the first stage of repairs includes building a ramp from the Grosvenor Car Park into the site. Following this, the painstaking job begins to remove and record all of the material that fell, whist propping and protecting the wall from further damage.

“The progress can be followed on a dedicated web page.”

The repairs will be in three stages; stage one is for enabling works for the site, to provide access, erect temporary propping, and cover the workface. Stage two (summer 2025) is investigatory works which are required to inform the third repair stage (Summer 2026).

The site of the collapse is landlocked and has limited space available, for this reason Balvac are setting up site offices, welfare units and some storage at the Dee House site close by.

A secured area of the Grosvenor Car Park will be used to access the site. Entry to the car park will not be affected and pre-agreed deliveries to shop units will be accommodated.

Noise, vibration and air quality monitoring equipment will be installed before work starts.

A temporary ramp will be constructed to provide access from the basement of the car park up into the rear yard of 15-19 Newgate Street. The ramp will support the construction plant required for the works (motorised barrow, mini excavator, compacting roller etc.) and be able to support the delivery of materials.

For further information: 

https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/citywalls

The Chester City Wall is a Grade I/II* listed and Scheduled Monument of national and international importance.  Scheduling is a legal protection administered by Historic England on behalf of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.  All changes to the Wall including maintenance and repair work, need Scheduled Monument Consent from the Secretary of State.

Between 2013 and 2022 the Council has spent in excess of £6.1 million in the upkeep and repair of the walls.  Annual spend on capital works is now £300k and on revenue works, £60k. To put this into context, the value of the capital workbank is currently £10.5 million of which £3.8 million is work that is considered essential in the short-term.

Pictured - Ramp to be constructed.