Canterbury Levelling Up Fund

The Gillespies plans helped to focus appropriate landscape interventions on the various sites to maximise the benefits of proposed changes.

A series of Canterbury Trails such as a river trail, heritage trail and garden trail will draw together disparate sites across the city (gardens, heritage assets, gateways, parks etc), all feeding into the high street retail core. In addition, each end of the high street will be punctuated with a new plaza space for events.

Heritage assets such as the city wall, castle, Greyfriars gardens, and gateways such as the bus station and car parks, will draw in new visitors and help the economy. At the same time, improving the parks, high street, and play areas will enhance social and wellbeing aspects of the local community.

Canterbury City Council's bid was supported by a range of partners including Historic England.