Levelling Up work and timescales

We're creating story gardens that help tell the stories of Canterbury as part of England's history. We'll do this by landscaping existing public spaces to highlight their heritage significance and encourage people to visit.

We're also improving some of the city car parks to make them more welcoming, as well as improving visitor signs and some pedestrian routes through the city.

Longport car park reduced spaces - 16 June 2025 to August 2025

Most of the car park will be closed while work is done to improve appearance and accessibility. The work is being done by Walker Construction. It will start on 16 June and take about eight weeks to complete.

St Peter's Street closed from the junction with The Friars - 16 June 2025 for four weeks

St Peter's Street will be closed from the junction with The Friars, with access only up to the end of St Peter's Street by the security bollards.

This means that deliveries into the high street will need to exit either via Guildhall Street, The Friars, Best Lane, St Margaret's Street or back through Rose Lane.

Westgate Towers one way system with diversion - 22 April 2025 to March 2026 

A one way system will be in place allowing traffic to flow in one direction only through the towers. Pedestrians can access the Towers at all times.

Phase 1, starting 22 April 2025 - work carried out to the roads and pavements between St Dunstan's Street and Tower Way, on the Guildhall side of the road (northwest side).

This side of the road will be closed to traffic from St Peter's roundabout, but access will be maintained to Tower Way, St Peter's Grove and Black Griffin Lane.

Traffic will be diverted up Rheims Way to the London Road roundabout, down London Road and onto St Dunstan's. Traffic coming from the other direction will be allowed to travel through the Westgate Towers and along St Peter's Place to the St Peter's roundabout.

Phase 2, starts once phase 1 is complete - work carried out to the road and pavement between St Dunstan's Street and Tower Way, on the side of the road outside the former Barretts showroom (southeast side).

This side of the road will be closed to through traffic from St Dunstan's Street up to Tower Way. Traffic will be diverted up St Dunstan's and London Road to the London Road roundabout and then down Rheims Way to the St Peter's roundabout.

Traffic will be allowed to travel from the St Peter's roundabout, along St Peter's Place and around the side of Westgate Towers.

Phase 3 - road resurfacing will be carried out in St Peter's Place between the existing pedestrian crossing, extending just past the junction of Tower Way. This work will be conducted at night under a road closure, with local access being maintained.

Castle Row car park closed - 24 March 2025 to January 2026

The car park will be closed to allow Blakedown Landscapes to store materials and equipment, and for the landscaping of the car park.

Access to Age UK will not be affected. There is alternative off-street parking available in Castle Street multi-storey.

Pound Lane car park reduced spaces - February 2025 to December 2025

24 spaces in Pound Lane car park will be closed at the Curzon end of the car park for T Loughman and Co to store materials and equipment while they work on pedestrian routes around Stour Street.

You can see all the landscape designs and artists' impressions created so far.

Heritage assets

Work to repair the Poor Priests' Hospital (Marlowe Kit) roof and external features (chimney, window and stonework repairs) will be completed in the spring.

The stabilisation of the stonework at Canterbury Castle Keep will be completed ready for the landscaping of the grounds to take place. Improvements including resurfacing, lighting and planting will be carried out along the city wall.

Story gardens

The story garden sites include:

• Dane John Gardens
• the courtyard in front of the former Nason's department store
• St George's Square
• Greyfriars Gardens
• St Radigund's Garden
• Three Cities Garden
• the castle grounds
• Solly's Orchard
• Tower of St Mary Magdalene

Most of the landscaping works will be completed in the story garden locations, including the planting of perennial wildflower meadows and new trees, as well as the addition or repair of both feature and street lighting.

A play area will be installed in Greyfriars Gardens.

Interpretation will relay historical stories and information about the sites.

The statue to commemorate Aphra Behn was unveiled in February (2025) outside of the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge in the high street.

Highways and city route improvements

The work to improve accessibility and lighting to Church Lane, Stour Street, St Peter's Lane and St Radigund's Street started in early 2025 and will continue until November 2025.

Pedestrian access will be improved on St George's Lane and at the bus station, making it safer and easier to walk to Whitefriars.

Docked cycle hire infrastructure will be put in place in various locations across the city, as well as bike maintenance and storage facilities.

Old signage and street furniture will be removed, and new wayfinding totems and finger posts will be installed in the city centre.

St Radigund's car park and Longport car park will be made more welcoming with new soft landscaping, welcome information points and bike storage.

New EV charging points will be installed.

There will be improvements to six cycle routes in Canterbury, including improved lighting, surfaces, kerb lines and signage.

Refurbishment and repainting of street lighting columns in heritage green will take place on the routes and through story garden sites. This includes the restoration of Biggleston lamp posts in prime heritage sites.

Heritage assets

Works in the Canterbury Castle Keep and grounds will be completed, and it will be open for the public to access for free.

Story gardens

Final landscaping works will be completed in Dane John Gardens.

Highways and city route improvements

The creation of Westgate Square will be completed including bike storage, feature lighting and power points, soft landscaping and welcome information to book end the high street with St George's Square.

Castle Row car park will be the last of the projects to be completed. The new green walkway will link Dane John Gardens with the castle.

Heritage assets

Work to repair the Poor Priests' Hospital (Marlowe Kit) roof and external features started in June (2024). A specialist contractor took over the Canterbury Castle Keep site to start the repair and stabilisation of its stonework, and to make it safe.

Story gardens

Electrical power outlets were installed in the Dane John Gardens to allow events to take place with less reliance on generators.

Consultations were carried out on the story garden designs, and the 'stories' for each garden.

Archaeological test pits were dug and investigated to allow the necessary consents to be applied for. The statutory consents and permissions from Historic England and Kent County Council Highways were submitted ready for the tendered work to start in early 2025.

In December (2024) the works tender for Dane John Gardens, the city wall and Castle Row car park went live. Early designs for the new cafe in the gardens were produced ahead of stakeholder engagement. These works will form part of a separate tender.

Concept designs for a walkway and raised platform that will take visitors inside the Castle Keep were agreed. The walkway will provide platforms on the first floor level as well as at the top of the castle; reviewing views across to the Cathedral and Dane John Gardens.

Highway and city route improvements

Contracts were awarded for the works taking place in the new Westgate Square, as well as for the accessibility and lighting improvements to the city heritage routes.

The design of the new wayfinding was agreed, and detailed placement plans for the totems and finger posts were shared with stakeholders and landowners in the city. The tender for manufacturing and installation went out to tender in December (2024).

The foundation was laid outside of the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge in preparation for the installation in 2025 of the statue commemorating Aphra Behn.

A condition survey of street lighting columns was completed to inform the future works programme. 

 St George’s Street improvements

We've replaced the old paving slabs, added new planters and benches, and upgraded the street lighting. 

One area has been finished with temporary paving, which will be replaced later.

Riverside area improvements 

We've upgraded the existing cycle way. 

Installing electric vehicle chargers

We installed 12 chargers across the city to support greener transport.

Canterbury Castle preparation

We put up scaffolding so that we could start a survey on the stonework.

Poor Priests’ Hospital (Marlowe Kit) preparation

We applied for listed building consent for the roof repairs.

Poor Priests' Hospital

Story gardens

We held a public consultation on which gardens should be chosen and published the results.

Highways

Kent County Council held a public consultation on the proposed changes to Westgate Square.