Reform-led council under fire for plans to rip up Victorian lampposts
Canterbury is one of the few cities which has managed to retain a set of bespoke nineteenth century cast iron street lamps
One of the UK’s most complete collections of cast-iron street lamp posts are at risk of being “chucked” and replaced with “banal and ugly” alternatives, campaigners are warning.
There are approximately 270 historic lampposts in Canterbury’s collection, many of which were cast in a foundry in the city, which are at risk of being replaced with generic steel poles fitted with standardised “heritage-style” embellishments.
Canterbury is one of the only remaining places, alongside the City of Westminster and Edinburgh, which has managed to retain a full set of bespoke nineteenth century cast iron street lampposts.
Ptolemy Dean, the president of the Canterbury Society and the surveyor of the Fabric of Westminster Abbey, has been raising awareness for a campaign to retain the lampposts.
He told The Independent that Kent County Council, were planning on replacing the “very attractive” lampposts with “a standard off-the-peg steel post” that you might find on a motorway or industrial estate and removing the originals to “chuck them in the bin.”
“Visually it’s a really eroding thing in the cityscape,” he said. “You walk through the streets of Spain and Italy, Paris and places, and you see beautifully paved streets, you see lovely elegant street lights and you see beautiful buildings. In Canterbury, you should be doing the same. You should be seeing beautiful [...]medieval streets, beautiful buildings, and beautiful street lights. To create a whole picture, when you take something like a streetlight and replace it with something truly banal and ugly and nondescript, it detracts from the quality of all the buildings that surround it.”
He said that Canterbury, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, should be “looked after”.
Campaigns have taken place across the country against the removal of these historic lampposts, from Berkshire to Aberdeen.
“It's synonymous with a problem that is right at the very heart of everything that's going on in the local environment at the moment, which is that no one can maintain anything, no one will, every, the budget for cutting is maintenance, and therefore you're left with replacement as the solution,” Mr Dean added. “It's really, catching up on us now.
“Years of, years of austerity and the Canterbury thing is the latest in this story.”
Guy Mayhew, the campaign coordinator and co-chair of the Canterbury Society, told The Independent: “These columns are part of the city’s everyday historic fabric, not decorative extras.
“What our work has shown is that their gradual removal has not been driven by a clear heritage strategy or by evidence of widespread structural failure. Instead, decisions have drifted for years between Kent County Council, which maintains street lighting, and Canterbury City Council, which is responsible for conservation and the public realm.
He continued: “In the absence of an agreed design code or replacement policy, temporary and generic solutions have become the default. This is not primarily a funding issue. Repainting and refurbishment are relatively low-cost, and replica or like-for-like solutions have been explored before. The real problem has been a lack of coordination, clarity, and timely decision-making.”
More than 750 Canterbury residents have signed a petition expressing concern at the loss of the historic columns, Mr Mayhew said.
“Public concern has grown as more historic columns have been lost or replaced with standard steel alternatives, which is why the campaign has attracted significant support locally. What we are asking for is simple: a clear, agreed approach that treats historic street furniture as an asset to be managed properly, rather than something to be quietly downgraded.”
A spokesperson from Kent County Council (KCC) said: “These are proposed works which have not yet started. We have been working closely with Canterbury City Council to find a solution and move this work forward. The Canterbury Society has not contacted us to discuss these plans.
“We understand the historic significance of the Biggleston lampposts in Canterbury and the affection residents have for them. However, recent safety inspections have revealed serious structural issues which mean the lampposts can no longer be considered safe.
“The cast iron columns have failed structural tests carried out at the base of the column, confirming internal corrosion and other defects. Painting the columns would only protect the part above ground and does not address the damage inside or underground.
“The original factory that produced these lampposts has closed, and the moulds used to make them no longer exist.
“Recreating these moulds and manufacturing new cast iron lampposts, or refurbishing the existing lampposts would not be the most effective use of limited maintenance budgets, given other higher-priority needs.‘It is anticipated that creating a bespoke mould alone would cost tens of thousands of pounds, and each new cast iron column could cost in excess of £5,000.
“By comparison, installing a modern steel lamppost costs about £168, and adding a heritage-style decorative kit brings the total to around £810 per lamppost. These kits are made from durable, non-metal materials, which makes future safety checks easier, safer, and more cost-effective.
“Importantly, the existing ornate lanterns will be re-used to maintain the character of Canterbury’s streets.‘While we appreciate the historic value of the Biggleston lampposts, public safety must come first.
“Our approach ensures that Canterbury retains a heritage look while meeting modern safety standards and managing costs responsibly.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments
Bookmark popover
Removed from bookmarks