THE Conservative group in Chester is calling on the Labour-controlled council to delist and demolish an 18th century former convent to make way for a new “world class visitor attraction”.

They announced yesterday (Monday, November 19) that they intend to lobby Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) to ensure Dee House is knocked down.

A new visitor centre would put the focus on the adjacent Roman amphitheatre, part of which lies beneath the Grade 2 listed building.

But in a stinging response, the council’s Labour administration has accused the Tories of “political opportunism” as there have been calls from the public to fully excavate the amphitheatre.

Cllr Louise Gittins, deputy leader of CWaC, said the opposition group knows full well that any decision to delist the building has to be made at central government level.

And she stressed that the council had already set up a cross-party working group to discuss all possible options, including a joint-request to the Government to delist Dee House.

The row comes after news last month that a deal with pub and hotel chain Thwaites to convert the building into a hotel had fallen through due to spiralling costs.

Conservative Stuart Parker, Chester Villages councillor and spokesman for culture, said: “The council has spent millions of pounds of public money on Dee House to make the site safe and work up various options to restore it.

“Sadly all efforts to find a viable future have failed and it’s now time for the Labour council to take a common sense approach to Dee House.”

And Cllr Razia Daniels, who represents the Handbridge Park ward, added: “Chester’s amphitheatre is a unique feature. We voted against the plans to let Dee House to Thwaites for 150 years because it was the wrong call in many ways. But the failure gives us a huge opportunity.

“We want to clear this part of the city’s stage to co-create a world-class visitor attraction around the amphitheatre. There are some amazingly creative ideas out there but these cannot be explored whilst there is a dangerous structure to deal with first.”

Labour’s Cllr Gittins, who is also the cabinet member for communities and wellbeing, said the council remained committed to finding a long-term solution for Dee House.

“That's why we are working together with other individuals and groups in Chester to find a realistic way forward,” she said.

“I have been clear that all options are on the table - including de-listing and demolition. I re-iterated this point to the Conservative councillors in Chester at full council in October, so I am clear, this announcement by Chester Tories is motivated by political opportunism.

“I had hoped my cross-party approach would keep politics out of the process. Disappointingly, it looks like the local Conservatives would rather take cheap shots than work with others to identify practical actions.”

Cllr Gittins also stressed that the council had not spent millions on Dee House, as the Conservative group claimed.

She added: “Chester Tories know that there has been a long and protracted history surrounding the way forward with this site for at least the last 30 years. They also know that substantial harm or loss of a Grade II listed building like Dee House will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and that this is a decision that will be approved at a national level by the Government and not by the council. I will happily work on a joint letter with my Conservative counterpart, to the Secretary of State to request this, if the stakeholder group agree that this is the best way forward.”