Former offices to be turned into new psychiatric facility

A DESERTED office block in Chester is to be turned into a psychiatric hospital creating more than 400 jobs, despite concerns being raised over public safety.

- BY MARK SMITH Local Democracy Reporter

Cheshire West and Chester Council's planning committee approved an application by Cygnet Health Care to transform part of the two-storey building at One Lakeside at Chester Business Park.

The building has been closed since 2020 and much of it never occupied.

According to the plans, the new hospital will have three wards on the first floor, consisting of two psychiatric intensive care units (PICU) with an acute inpatient care ward.

The PICU wards include 12 beds in each (male and female) while the acute ward would have 16 beds (male).

A training ward on the ground floor will have 12 beds and also act as a Nightingale ward, providing extra bedspace when needed.