One of the key features of historic cities like Chester, is that later buildings tend to get built on top of the remains of earlier ones. This can lead to exciting discoveries when those earlier buildings are revealed but can become tricky when the later buildings are themselves of heritage significance.
Such is the case with Grade II listed Dee House which was built on top of Chester’s Roman amphitheatre. Since the building came in to council ownership 28 years ago, a debate has raged as to whether to save Dee House and put it to good use, or demolish it to reveal the whole of the amphitheatre. This debate has never reached a satisfactory conclusion, meanwhile Dee House has become increasingly derelict.
At the end of 2018 a working group was formed which represented the diversity of opinion regarding the site. Andy was asked to chair the group and together they set out to establish the facts, with which a decision might be made.
Here, Andy summarises the findings to a public audience at Storyhouse, Chester: