Alley gating Consultation Information

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What is this consultation about?

In October 2014, the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (the Act) introduced powers to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB), including the power to make Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).

PSPOs are designed to address persistent issues that have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in a local area. They enable the Council and the police to take action against specific behaviours or activities occurring within defined public spaces, helping to reduce the impact of crime, nuisance and ASB on local communities.

ASB is defined within the Act as behaviour that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person. A public place is defined within the Act as any place to which the public, or a section of the public, has access, whether by right, payment, or express or implied permission.

Across Cheshire West and Chester, 14 individual PSPOs are currently in place to restrict public access to specific alleyways through the installation of alley gates. These gates are intended to reduce opportunities for crime, ASB, and nuisance in areas where such issues have been reported.

Alley-gating PSPOs are only considered where evidence demonstrates a persistent problem and where alternative measures to address ASB have been explored and found to be ineffective. Proposals for alley gating are developed through local multi-agency Problem Solving Groups, which review evidence, assess local concerns and coordinate partnership responses.

Where gates are installed, residents and other authorised persons who require access to the affected alleyways are provided with keys free of charge at the point of installation, ensuring they can continue to access the gated areas.

From October 2026, a charge of £23 will be introduced to cover the cost of procuring and issuing replacement keys for properties within existing PSPO areas where keys have been lost or damaged.

PSPOs must be reviewed at least once every three years, and these 14 Orders are due to expire in October 2026. Before deciding whether to extend the Orders for up to a further three years, the Council is required to undertake a review and consult those who may be affected by them.

The 14 alley-gating PSPOs currently operating across Cheshire West and Chester are at the following locations:

  1. Hazel Road, Chester (Alleyways between Hazel Road to Downfield Road and Hazel Road to Poplar Road).
  2. Thurston Road, Chester (Alleyway between Thurston Road and Green Lane).
  3. Westminster Road, Chester (Alleyway between Westminster Road and Hamilton Street).
  4. Alexandra Street, Ellesmere Port (Alleyway between Alexandra Street and Edward Street and Grace Road).
  5. Beechfield Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyways between Enfield Road, Beechfield Road, Briarfield Road and Priestfield Road).
  6. Crossley Avenue, Ellesmere Port (Alleyway between Crossley Avenue and the service area of Himalayan Birch Close).
  7. Heathfield Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyway between Heathfield Road, Flatt Lane and School Road).
  8. Holly Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyways between Holly Road, Kingsley Road, Cromwell Road and Cambridge Road).
  9. King Street, Ellesmere Port (Alleyway between King Street and garage area of Westminster Road).
  10. Livingstone Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyways between Grafton Road, Livingstone Road and Grace Road).
  11. Romiley Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyway between Overpool Road and Christleton Drive).
  12. Victoria Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyways between Victoria Road, Enfield Road, Highfield Road, Ashfield Road and Woodfield Road).
  13. Woodfield Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyway between Woodfield Road and the service area of Victoria Road).
  14. Pinewood Road, Winsford (Alleyway between Pinewood Road and Whitby’s Lane).

Please note that if any of these PSPOs are not renewed, the Council will be required to remove the associated alley gates.

We would like to hear your views on the existing alley-gating PSPOs. Your feedback will help inform the Council's review and any decisions about the future of these Orders.

How to take part

There are several ways you can take part and share your views:

  • Complete the survey online at: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/RZK2HB/
  • Email views to: community.safety@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
  • Telephone: 01244 973708, quoting ‘PSPO Consultation’
  • Write to: Cheshire West and Chester Council, PSPO consultation, Community Safety, The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA.
  • Request a copy of our consultation in alternative formats, including paper and easy read, using the contact details above.

Completing the survey is voluntary and all the information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

Please submit your response by Wednesday 30 September 2026.

If you would like to know more about how we use and store the information you give us in this survey, you can find out by visiting: https://cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/system-pages/privacy-notices/consultations-privacy-notice.aspx


How your views will be used

We will be consulting on these options until Wednesday 30 September 2026. The outcome of the public consultation will be considered by officers in October 2026 as part of the review process and a summary of the consultation findings will be uploaded to the Councils consultation web page and published on the Cheshire West and Chester Community Safety Partnership website.

What is this consultation about?

In October 2014, the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (the Act) introduced powers to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB), including the power to make Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).

PSPOs are designed to address persistent issues that have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in a local area. They enable the Council and the police to take action against specific behaviours or activities occurring within defined public spaces, helping to reduce the impact of crime, nuisance and ASB on local communities.

ASB is defined within the Act as behaviour that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person. A public place is defined within the Act as any place to which the public, or a section of the public, has access, whether by right, payment, or express or implied permission.

Across Cheshire West and Chester, 14 individual PSPOs are currently in place to restrict public access to specific alleyways through the installation of alley gates. These gates are intended to reduce opportunities for crime, ASB, and nuisance in areas where such issues have been reported.

Alley-gating PSPOs are only considered where evidence demonstrates a persistent problem and where alternative measures to address ASB have been explored and found to be ineffective. Proposals for alley gating are developed through local multi-agency Problem Solving Groups, which review evidence, assess local concerns and coordinate partnership responses.

Where gates are installed, residents and other authorised persons who require access to the affected alleyways are provided with keys free of charge at the point of installation, ensuring they can continue to access the gated areas.

From October 2026, a charge of £23 will be introduced to cover the cost of procuring and issuing replacement keys for properties within existing PSPO areas where keys have been lost or damaged.

PSPOs must be reviewed at least once every three years, and these 14 Orders are due to expire in October 2026. Before deciding whether to extend the Orders for up to a further three years, the Council is required to undertake a review and consult those who may be affected by them.

The 14 alley-gating PSPOs currently operating across Cheshire West and Chester are at the following locations:

  1. Hazel Road, Chester (Alleyways between Hazel Road to Downfield Road and Hazel Road to Poplar Road).
  2. Thurston Road, Chester (Alleyway between Thurston Road and Green Lane).
  3. Westminster Road, Chester (Alleyway between Westminster Road and Hamilton Street).
  4. Alexandra Street, Ellesmere Port (Alleyway between Alexandra Street and Edward Street and Grace Road).
  5. Beechfield Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyways between Enfield Road, Beechfield Road, Briarfield Road and Priestfield Road).
  6. Crossley Avenue, Ellesmere Port (Alleyway between Crossley Avenue and the service area of Himalayan Birch Close).
  7. Heathfield Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyway between Heathfield Road, Flatt Lane and School Road).
  8. Holly Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyways between Holly Road, Kingsley Road, Cromwell Road and Cambridge Road).
  9. King Street, Ellesmere Port (Alleyway between King Street and garage area of Westminster Road).
  10. Livingstone Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyways between Grafton Road, Livingstone Road and Grace Road).
  11. Romiley Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyway between Overpool Road and Christleton Drive).
  12. Victoria Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyways between Victoria Road, Enfield Road, Highfield Road, Ashfield Road and Woodfield Road).
  13. Woodfield Road, Ellesmere Port (Alleyway between Woodfield Road and the service area of Victoria Road).
  14. Pinewood Road, Winsford (Alleyway between Pinewood Road and Whitby’s Lane).

Please note that if any of these PSPOs are not renewed, the Council will be required to remove the associated alley gates.

We would like to hear your views on the existing alley-gating PSPOs. Your feedback will help inform the Council's review and any decisions about the future of these Orders.

How to take part

There are several ways you can take part and share your views:

  • Complete the survey online at: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/RZK2HB/
  • Email views to: community.safety@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
  • Telephone: 01244 973708, quoting ‘PSPO Consultation’
  • Write to: Cheshire West and Chester Council, PSPO consultation, Community Safety, The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA.
  • Request a copy of our consultation in alternative formats, including paper and easy read, using the contact details above.

Completing the survey is voluntary and all the information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

Please submit your response by Wednesday 30 September 2026.

If you would like to know more about how we use and store the information you give us in this survey, you can find out by visiting: https://cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/system-pages/privacy-notices/consultations-privacy-notice.aspx


How your views will be used

We will be consulting on these options until Wednesday 30 September 2026. The outcome of the public consultation will be considered by officers in October 2026 as part of the review process and a summary of the consultation findings will be uploaded to the Councils consultation web page and published on the Cheshire West and Chester Community Safety Partnership website.