A Bit About The Hydro Hub

Our vision is for the Hydro Hub to become a careers, education and hospitality centre to enable residents and visitors to learn about both the history and the future of low carbon industry and business in Chester and the surrounding area, whilst enjoying a cup of tea in one of the most iconic locations in Chester. We believe the old Hydro Electric building on Chester Weir is the perfect location for this, given its almost 1000 year history of Net Zero industry. The Dee has not only been a source of clean power but also a source of clean water for all the people who live, work, learn and play here.

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Chester Weir was built by the Norman Invader Hugh Lupus in 1093. It transformed the River Dee, raising the water level upstream of the weir by several metres and creating a linear lake stretching for many miles. This lake gradually silted up over the following centuries, creating the landscape we see today with big flood plains like the Meadows and the area round Pulford Brook, which were previously part of a tidal estuary. In fact, in Roman times, the tidal estuary stretched past the ford at Aldford, the Iron Age village at Poulton and as far as the Tile Works at Holt.

The Weir became a very important industrial site throughout the Medieval period, with several factories powered entirely by Water. We therefore believe it was the UK’s first Net Zero Industrial Cluster.

In the 20th Century, the mills and factories were closed and a Hydro Electric power station was built, initially providing about 40% of Chester’s power (although at the time we only had a few light bulbs!). This is the building we hope to redevelop into an education, careers and hospitality centre.

Following the UK Government announcement in November 2021 that the North West had been chosen to be one only two “track one” locations for Carbon Capture and Storage, the North West (and in particular the area round Chester and Ellesmere port) is set to become the UK’s first Net Zero cluster of the Modern Age, attracting £Billions in investment and 30,000 construction jobs.

Hydro Hub 3D Flythough

This video shows a representation of how the Hydro Hub could or might look. As yet, a concept.