If you are new to the village you may find this Welcome Pack helpful – it contains details of schools, churches, local organisations etc.
Where is Westbere?
The parish of Westbere is located approximately 3½ miles north-east of Canterbury, and runs adjacent to the A28 from the boundary with Sturry. The village of Westbere is situated in the heart of a conservation area and can be reached from the A28 via Westbere Lane, Church Lane or Bushy Hill Road. All roads into Westbere are narrow and winding, making them unsuitable for large vehicles.
The village contains approximately 140 houses, a small village green, a village hall, a pub/restaurant, a beautiful church and two closed churchyards. Details of the heritage trail which runs through the parish are available on the Westbere Village Preservation Society’s heritage trail notice-board outside the church.
Parish boundary changes with effect from 02 May 2019: The boundaries of both parishes and wards are periodically reviewed by the Government and the Local Boundary Commission. The parish boundary shown in the Parish Plan accurately reflects the boundary of Westbere in 2011 at the time of publication. However, a Governance Review exercise led by Canterbury City Council began in 2016 and following public consultation considered changes which were finalised in 2018 and actioned in 2019 to take effect from the parish council elections of 2 May 2019. The aim of these new changes was to both reflect the changing development of Kent and the increase in housing numbers, and to reflect the identity of the new emerging communities better.
The result was that, with effect from May 2019, the parish of Westbere lost 15 houses along Island Road and the industrial park to a new parish council created for Hersden, which also comes into existence from 2 May 2019.
And two outline permissions for development of the Hoplands Farm and The Old Colliery site, for circa 250 and 370 homes respectively, previously in the Westbere parish boundary, also moved to the new Hersden parish.