A Canterbury tale
HBG Construction is working on a colossal project in Canterbury, involving the design and construction of more than 30 shops, including two department stores, as well as apartments, a multistorey car park and a library.
The project – contract value €77 million – is the Whitefriars Redevelopment Scheme. The site lies within Canterbury’s medieval walls, in the south-west of the city. The district extends to around five hectares and covers roughly one eighth of the total area enclosed by the city walls. Whitefriars was badly damaged by bombing in the Second World War and was gradually rebuilt with a colourful collection of offices and shops. The new development is situated around a new square at the centre of a pedestrianised area. Deliveries to the shops are made along underground roads. The first department store is due to open its doors early next year. The whole project will be completed in phases by the summer of 2005.