09/01/2026 – Lamppost Removals Paused
Following public concern, national media coverage and a petition signed by thousands of residents, Canterbury City Council has confirmed that no further historic cast-iron lampposts will be removed while options are reviewed. This pause is welcome. But information...
Canterbury Cast Iron Streetlights – Map
Press Coverage – Canterbury’s Historic Street Lighting
ITV Meridian News - 5 January 2026▶ Watch: https://youtu.be/mLjgtUBDWoM?si=pNzr_DYHQB4HBNG_ GB News - 5 January 2026▶ Watch: https://youtu.be/zeJXYP0BpXU?si=eHbqHctnCxKf2ZBX TalkTV - 6 January 2026▶ Watch: https://youtu.be/iBtekTYdNYo?si=8RXTKKP_wWdfHhMxBBC Radio 4 -...
Kent’s Local Government Reorganisation: What Each Council Has Recommended
Councils across Kent and Medway have now published draft business cases for a possible reshaping of local government. These cases form the basis for formal submissions to the Secretary of State, due by Friday 28 November. This blog post sets out the LGR options, the...
Culture Is More Than You Think: Why the Next 10 Years Matter for Canterbury
What is a Culture Strategy – and why now? The Culture Strategy is a formal document that sets out how the Council will support, promote and invest in culture over the next decade. It touches everything from: Community spaces and heritage buildings Street festivals and...
Save Canterbury’s Heritage Streetlights
Why Canterbury’s historic streetlights are being lost Canterbury’s distinctive cast-iron streetlights – many still stamped with the old Canterbury City Corporation crest – are under threat. Kent County Council (KCC) is condemning these historic columns and intends to...
Local Government Reorganisation: an update
Dave Wilson warns that without action, Canterbury could lose its City status and local control under reorganisation plans. It is usually the case that no-one is much interested in local government or what it does … until something goes wrong that directly affects...
AGM 2025
Canterbury Society AGM 2025 Held on Wednesday 17th September 2025 at Fruitworks Co-working, Jewry Lane, Canterbury. Thank you to everyone who attended our Annual General Meeting. The evening combined the formal business of the Society with an engaging presentation by...
Canterbury Society Response to the Council’s Draft Local Plan (Regulation 18) Consultation
The submission welcomes areas of progress while raising serious concerns about infrastructure capacity, environmental protection, and the deliverability of the current growth proposals. The response was prepared by Deputy Chair Guy Mayhew along with Acting Chair John...
Heritage Street Lights – Introduction
Plans to remove nine original cast-iron lampposts in Cossington Road have sparked a strong backlash from local residents and heritage experts, who describe the move “a needless act of cultural vandalism.” The lampposts - some bearing the mark of the former H. M....