ST PETER’S Square-based law firm Hill Dickinson has been appointed as sole legal advisor for the £225m redevelopment of Chester Zoo.

The firm was awarded the lucrative contract after a national legal tender.

The project, known as Natural Vision, will see the 75-year-old zoo transformed into “Europe’s largest conservation, animal and leisure attraction”.

Robin Jones, partner at Hill Dickinson’s Chester office, who led on the tender, told LDP Legal: “To be involved in a scheme of this stature on a national level is recognition of Hill Dickinson’s ability to deliver full service legal support and advice from intellectual property and planning law to environmental risk and regulatory law.”

A planning application for the £90m first phase is due to be submitted later this year.

That will include the development of the only domed ecosystem in the UK, as well as a 90-bed hotel and a “Conservation College”.

The entire project will be completed by 2018, creating one of the largest wildlife attractions in the world.

Zoo managers hope it will showcase and financially support the attraction’s national and international conservation work, which currently spans 50 countries.

Brent Williams, Chester-based property and construction partner, added: “Having an office in Chester means that we are on the zoo’s doorstep and, being a national firm, we have the skills and expertise available for a scheme of this size and nature.

“We look forward to playing a fundamental role in seeing the scheme come to fru ition. ”

Hill Dicki nson has offices in Liverpool, Manchester and Chester, in addition to those in London and Piraeus, Greece.

The completed Natural Vision scheme will cover 80 hectares and will create hundreds of jobs, both during the construction of the project and on completion.

Professor Gordon McGregor Reid, the zoo’s director general added: “The Natural Vision project will transform Chester Zoo into the conservation and leisure attraction of choice in Europe.

“To enable us to move forward with this exciting development, we need to be working closely with committed and experienced partners. To that end, we are pleased to welcome Hill Dickinson on board.”

The Northwest Regional Development Agency has provided funding to the project so it can progress to the planning stage.