The brief for this 180 hectares site to the south west of Canterbury town centre called for the scheme to be “an exemplar of sustainability and eco-sensitivity, whilst taking account of wildlife, archaeological and landscape opportunities”.
Analysis of historical maps showed that the site was predominantly used for fruit production until the mid-20th century with only a few isolated fruit trees remaining. The concept of the ‘inhabited orchard’ thus emerged, with large areas of the site (sterilised for development by overhead power lines) imagined as productive orchards growing alongside new residential neighbourhoods
This theme also extended into new commercial areas, with existing agricultural buildings being re-inhabited within a setting of newly planted fruit trees.