Skip to main content
Search Icon Search Icon

We use cookies to improve user experience and analyze website traffic. By clicking “Accept”, you agree to our website’s cookie use as described in our Cookie Policy. To view our Cookie Policy in full click here.

Preferences

  • This website cannot function properly without these cookies.

  • Analytical cookies help us enhance our website by collecting information on its usage.

Tunbridge Wells

The Pantiles, Royal Tunbridge Wells. Image courtesy of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) is committed to enabling the borough to thrive – to have more affordable housing, more jobs and better infrastructure to support the economy and community life, and to ensure that we play our part in tackling and responding positively to climate change, with a goal of carbon neutrality for the borough by 2030. The Council expects all development to be of high quality design, which respects local identity and character and adds to the existing high quality and culturally rich environment.  The creation of high quality buildings and places is a fundamental aim.  Good design is a key aspect of sustainable development, and well designed development can contribute significantly to establishing a strong sense of place through the creation of attractive and desirable places to live, work and visit.

The borough of Tunbridge Wells lies in the south-western part of Kent, bordering East Sussex. It covers an area of 126 square miles. The borough borders the authorities of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Malling, Maidstone, and Ashford in Kent; and Rother and Wealden in East Sussex.

Both the natural and built environment of the borough are of high quality, and the Borough Council expects development to celebrate this richness. Nearly 70% of the borough is designated as High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is a landscape of national significance. Approximately 22% of the western part of the borough surrounding Royal Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, Pembury and other villages, and extending towards the western edge of Paddock Wood is Green Belt, which contributes significantly to the discrete identity and setting of many of these settlements.

The borough is rich in historic features and has a significant breadth of designated and non-designated heritage assets, including listed buildings, conservation areas, scheduled ancient monuments, historic parks and gardens, agricultural buildings, historic farmsteads, historic routeways, medieval field patterns and ancient woodland.

Opposite: Traditional Oast Houses, Tunbridge Wells.

Our emerging Local Plan covers a period between 2020 and 2038. It  sets out the spatial vision, strategic objectives and overarching development strategy for the borough, and establishes the planning policy framework necessary to meet the borough’s housing and economic development needs. The objectives seek to promote high quality and well-designed developments, which reinforce the distinctive local character and identity of the borough, creating vibrant, locally distinctive places.

The Strategic Sites and Delivery Team was established in 2020 and is, subject to the continued progression of the Local Plan, focused on the delivery of two growth sites within the borough – a standalone new garden village at Tudeley; and the transformational expansion of Paddock Wood including land in east Capel. These strategic settlements form part of the strategy in the draft Local Plan to accommodate the borough’s housing need over the next 15 years.

Opposite: The Amelia Scott, Cultural Hub, Tunbridge Wells.

Tudeley Village will provide a sustainable, self-contained, new settlement inspired by the Princes’ Foundation approach to development. It will provide approximately 2,800 new homes supported by a village centre, which will provide retail, recreational, employment and commercial services and facilities for the new community. Community facilities are integral to the vision for Tudeley Village, with the provision of both a primary and secondary school, community hall, village green, health facilities and playing fields.

Opposite: The Common and Town, Tunbridge Wells.

The expansion of Paddock Wood and east Capel offers a once-in-a- generation opportunity to determine the future direction and character of the town, equipping it with new sustainable infrastructure and excellent service provision. An additional 3,600 new homes, considerable additional employment provision and the comprehensive regeneration and revitalisation of the town centre are proposed.

Both new settlements will deliver millions of pounds worth of infrastructure to ensure the growth is delivered sustainably and comprehensively, and to ensure the settlements are delivered in line with garden settlement principles.

Opposite: A typical Wealden Hall House.

Our planning service offers pre-application planning advice for all types of development. The pre-application advice service is known to improve the quality of planning submissions and speed up the process from submission to planning decision. Our team of specialists provide detailed advice on design, heritage, trees, landscaping, ecology and biodiversity to ensure a comprehensive design-team approach.

We also offer the opportunity for applicants to enter into a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) with us. This service will initially be offered to applicants progressing applications for major development within the strategic sites (land at east Capel and Paddock Wood; and Tudeley Village) and large and complex developments within Royal Tunbridge Wells of 100 dwellings/10,000 square metres floorspace or more.

All images courtesy of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.