Canterbury City Council is considering Old Park and Chequer’s Wood for development and a bypass, resulting in the permanent loss of rare habitats and species, and a critically important community greenspace.

Old Park and the adjacent Chequer’s Wood form one of Canterbury’s oldest remaining greenspaces. With a rich history dating back 500,000 years, the site is notable for its archaeology, medieval fishpond, wartime heritage, and rare wildlife. The site includes a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), with nationally important habitats such as acid grassland and ancient woodland, and many rare and protected species including badgers, nightingales, bats, dormice and grass snakes. Today, it provides a significant resource for wellbeing to the local community, wider Canterbury residents, and visitors.

The site is due to be sold by the Ministry of Defence (MoD/DIO). It faces significant threat from development and plans to build an eastern bypass, which would run through the eastern end of the woodland. Canterbury City Council has confirmed the site is being considered for mixed development (housing or commercial use), and the first part of the eastern bypass, known as the Sturry bypass (a viaduct over the water meadows and river) was approved by Kent County Council last month. The development of Old Park and Chequer’s Wood could cause the permanent loss of protected wildlife by carving up valuable habitats, causing irreparable damage to the site.

Please sign and share this petition to add your voice to the campaign, and help safeguard one of the most significant, intact green sites of Canterbury. Protecting the area is critical, both for wildlife and future generations. 

For updates and information on meetings and events, please follow the Friends of Old Park and Chequer’s Wood Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/943956842848718/