A bitter dispute has erupted in Kent after the council announced its intention to demolish nine Victorian cast-iron lampposts in Canterbury and replace them with modern street lighting.
The ornate street fixtures on Cossington Road, produced by the now-defunct HM Biggleston & Sons, which operated in the city from 1835 until 1963, remain a cherished element of the city's character.
The road sits within a designated conservation area and features numerous Victorian terraced properties.
Councillors maintain the historic columns present safety hazards and must be removed.
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However, campaigners insist the decision will fundamentally alter the character of a city celebrated for its World Heritage status.
Speaking to The Times, Ptolemy Dean, president of the Canterbury Society, argued the proposed replacements were “clumsy and crude”.
Meanwhile, architect Clive Bowley previously told Kent Online the lampposts only require electrical checks, fresh paintwork and straightening.
He pointed to Brighton and Hove City Council as "considerably more enlightened" for successfully restoring its seafront lighting.
Campaigners insist the decision will fundamentally alter Canterbury's character
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David Kemsley, from the Oaten Hill and District Residents Association, has demanded answers about why households received no formal notification before the decision was made.
"(It will) materially destroy the character of the street," Mr Kemsley warned.
Kent County Council has defended its position, stating structural inspections conducted in August revealed multiple defects posing safety risks.
The authority argues restoration costs would be approximately three times higher than replacement, with refurbishment estimated at around £4,000 per unit compared to £1,255 for modern replicas fitted with decorative embellishments.
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Reform UK took over Kent County Council last year
| X/NIGEL_FARAGEA spokesman for the council, which was taken over by Reform UK last year, acknowledged the heritage value of the columns, but said the original manufacturer no longer exists.
Canterbury is considered one of only a handful of British cities retaining a largely intact collection of custom-designed Victorian lamp standards, alongside Westminster and Edinburgh, with roughly 250 heritage posts believed to survive across the city.
The council has already installed replacement columns elsewhere in Canterbury, including on Orchard Street.
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