The changing face of Canterbury can be explored in a time-travelling tool on Google Street View. Allowing you to select most roads, buildings and areas, you can see how the identical spot used to appear throughout various years, from 2009 to 2014. Gazette reporter Dan Wright picks out some of the city’s best.

Marlowe Theatre

The story of the Marlowe Theatre began just before the First World War, when a small theatre opened in St Margaret’s Street.

In 1949 the city council bought the building and the Marlowe was born, but around 30 years later it was declared bankrupt and demolished.

The council then bought the Odeon Cinema in The Friars and converted it into the second Marlowe Theatre, opening in 1984 at a cost of £5m.

After 25 successful years, the second Marlowe Theatre closed for a complete makeover in March 2009.

It reopened in October 2011, with the former building being completely transformed.

The new building holds an audience of 1,200 and has a separate studio for intimate gigs and workshops.

Colyer-Fergusson Music Building

Built in 2012, the Colyer-Fergusson Music Building added another spot to the sprawling University of Kent campus.

Both Sir James Colyer-Fergusson – a former captain in the East Kent Regiment who was taken prisoner of war in 1940 – and the Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust donated to the project.

The building is adjacent to the Gulbenkian Theatre and cinema – creating an arts complex – and houses the wide range of music-making at the university.

It has seating for an audience of around 400, a 200-strong chorus, and up to an 80-piece orchestra.

As a flat-floor space, the hall can accommodate up to 600 people.

St Lawrence ground Sainsbury's

It was back in early 2012 that Sainsbury’s announced plans to build one of its Local stores next to the historic St Lawrence ground.

Bosses at the supermarket had agreed a deal to lease a rental space at the Kent County Cricket ground and the new shop created about 25 jobs.

The convenience store sits within a new club administration building.

The shop, which serves the immediate area by offering a range of fresh foods, groceries and household products, opened in the spring of 2012 – changing the face of one of the ground’s entrances.

Premier Inn

It was in February 2012 that Premier Inn announced it would be building a new 120-bed hotel on the site of the former Blockbuster building in New Dover Road.

The application was granted planning permission by city councillors, who agreed the hotel chain would be an asset to the city.

The building, which houses the Miles and Barr estate agency on the ground floor, has 24 car parking spaces at the rear.

There had been concerns by both the Canterbury Conservation Advisory Committee and Oaten Hill and District Society about the scale of the five-storey building, the capacity of the sewerage system and potential parking problems.

The scheme was subsequently modified by architects to include a sloping vertical elevation on the top storey to reduce its impact.

Rhodaus Town

Now the city centre Peugeot garage and adjacent petrol station are no more, plans for a student complex with almost 540 bedrooms to be built in its place have been given the go-ahead.

All but one councillor voted to give the scheme in Pin Hill, Canterbury, the green light back in June this year as the city council’s planning committee met at the Guildhall.

The five-storey development, designed by award-winning architect Guy Hollaway, will be built on the garage site and front onto the ring road.

When built, the site will include a gymnasium and landscaped open space.

Canterbury Christ Church University and the Oaten Hill and District Society were among those who were opposed to the proposal, which is being led by developers and not a university.

St George's Centre

A drastic transformation has taken place in St George’s Place in recent years.

What once was Bamboo Tiger, Netto and Planet Lazer is now a 200-room student complex called the St George’s Centre.

Costing £15 million to build, it was completed in 2012.

On the other side of the road, the former Kentish Gazette offices are now home to the Girne American University, and what was Aldi is now Waitrose.

The Gazette moved to Whitstable in 2008.

Pictures: Google Street View