Why do we need to Save The Blean?

The University of Kent proposes building a new settlement of 2,000 houses, shops and offices on a massive greenfield site in the heart of the Blean Woodland Complex. The area earmarked is twice the size of the central, walled part of Canterbury.

This sprawling project threatens ancient woodland, productive farmland, precious green space, wildlife, and the very character of our villages and communities. You can see the area proposed on this zoomable map.

The Canterbury Council consultation closed on 3rd June but we are still fighting this proposal. Behind the scenes we are working with Kent Wildlife Trust and other partners to find an alternative future for this precious piece of countryside, and we are taking advice from a top barrister on next steps. Thank you to everyone for your continued support!

We have now launched a petition calling for Canterbury County Council to protect and enhance the Blean landscape and woodland complex, as a vital hub of biodiversity, heritage, agriculture, and community well-being for the benefit of future generations.

Sign the petition online here or sign a physical copy during November and December in your local Parish Hall – Tyler Hill, Blean or Rough Common. Details can also be found on the STB Facebook page.

Why is this happening?

Canterbury City Council has published its draft Local Plan, which sets out where development will take place up until 2040. Part of the process of formulating the plan involves putting a call out for sites, where local landowners can submit their land to be included for development. Kent University has put forward all of the fields it owns between Tyler Hill, Blean and Rough Common. Development agents working for them, Avison Young, are pushing this site by claiming there is “an unignorable economic need for the Sites to be delivered, to ensure the future success of the University” – positioning the University’s finances as a justification for this development (as opposed to real need or planning justifications).

What’s wrong with this plan?

The Blean is an area of ancient woodlands, farmland, heritage sites, the Sarre Penn Valley and the villages of Tyler Hill, Blean and Rough Common sited to the north of Canterbury. The area the University wants to develop is Grade 2 & 3 ‘best and most versatile’ farmland immediately next to multiple conservation areas, heritage buildings and scheduled monuments including a Roman Villa and Medieval Tile Kilns. It would also see houses built on top of the site of a known Iron Age settlement.

The area already suffers from poor drainage and regularly floods, due to the extensive clay soil. Covering the area in concrete will only make this worse.

The process is likely to involve widening roads and turning Rough Common into a major arterial traffic route into Canterbury.

The development would destroy the rural character of the area and turn three distinct villages into a giant conurbation within the suburbs of Canterbury. It would dramatically increase traffic across the north of the city, and heap pressure on our already overwhelmed GPs, schools and public services.

What can I do to help?

To help fight the development, local people have come together to create an action group to campaign for this proposal to be removed from the Local Plan. You can:

With your help, we can prevent these plans from ever being fulfilled. Please help us Save The Blean.