Plans to make Rooftop Social Club a permanent venue at Chester's Pepper Street multi-storey car park have been approved.

Earlier this year, The Grosvenor Estate submitted an application to Cheshire West and Chester Council seeking permanent permission for the use of the top two floors of the NCP car park as a leisure venue.

Having initially secured temporary planning permission, Rooftop Social Club, operated by Chester-based IKO Projects, has been running from the eighth and ninth floors of the car park since November 2024, offering food and drink, live entertainment and seasonal events.

The venue features bars, kitchens and facilities built from repurposed shipping containers, alongside a flexible events space that has hosted activities including yoga sessions and curling.

An open-air seating area on the top floor is covered by a retractable awning.

Planning documents said the venue had enjoyed "commercial success and critical acclaim" during its first 15 months of operation, prompting the move to secure permanent consent.

The original permission, granted in 2024, only allowed the venue to operate on a temporary three-year basis.

The latest proposals do not include any new buildings or changes to the existing layout, instead formally changing the site's planning status from temporary to permanent while allowing the continued operation of Rooftop Social Club alongside the car park and ground-floor retail units.

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In a report recommending approval, planning officers concluded the development would not have an unacceptable impact on visual amenity, highway safety or nearby residents.

The report stated: "By securing permanent use, the proposal supports the long-term viability of a successful local business and aligns with broader objectives to enhance Chester's urban vitality, diversify leisure offerings, and promote sustainable mixed-use development in the city centre."

Pepper Street Car Park, built in the late 1960s, sits within Chester's City Centre Conservation Area and close to several heritage assets, including the Roman amphitheatre, the city walls and nearby listed buildings.