Welcome

We are a calm but determined community looking to safeguard the cherished orchards and fields of the Wincheap area in Canterbury, Kent. The area is currently under threat by plans for a huge housing development (The so-called "Merton Park"). We value and stand up for for nature, heritage, public wellbeing, and the future of our local area.

The proposed housing development would wipe out over 100 acres of green space behind Wincheap - including historic orchards, wildlife habitats, and public footpaths stretching from Hollow Lane to Thanington and the A2. It includes land to the edge of the hospital, Simon Langton School and Canterbury Rugby Club, impacting the South of Canterbury. An estimated 16,000 fruit trees would be destroyed and the unique panoramic views of Canterbury Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, would be lost to the public.

Please note that we are not an anti-housing group. We believe in building houses in the right place, to meet a real need, but we believe that the area proposed for Merton Park is fundamentally unsuitable for the many reasons detailed on this site.

We have now submitted our representation for the Regulation 19 Consultation. You can read it here.

The public survey is now finished. Thank you to everyone who filled it in! The results are available here.

“ When I first moved here, there were still hop gardens in the area some of the orchards occupy now. Canterbury needs its green spaces, for children and adults to free their minds of everyday cares and learn about and observe nature and the changing of the seasons. Canterbury has been fairly unique in that way, I enjoy the fact I can walk the city, from my home I walk one direction and find the river, and another and find the farm land and hedgerows, which are vital to our wildlife. I walk another direction and if I walk far enough I can find woodland. The green spaces are our future, with the rise in stress, anxiety and depression post the covid pandemic in young people, people need space to decompress. Our health services locally are already overstretched, how will packing more homes into this area be catered for, we would need a larger school and another health centre to cope with this development. There is also history in the ground in the orchard area, clay pipe parts and pottery from many centuries past can easily be found all around the orchard pathways, as far as I am aware no recent archaeology assessment has been performed in the area where development has been proposed. ” Survey respondent, 2026
Here are a few ways you can still get involved: Wincheap

Support from MP Rosie Duffield

Rosie Duffield met the working group and came up to the orchards with us to see the beauty of the area. We chatted for an hour about the various issues and our objections to "Merton Park".

We are very pleased to say that Rosie is right behind our campaign and has posted her support on her FB and Instagram pages.