Royal Victoria Place redevelopment FAQs

The Council owns the freehold of Royal Victoria Place shopping centre site. In 2023 we bought the lease of the shopping centre to give us greater control over its future.

Owning the freehold and the lease gives the Council more opportunity to influence the economic development of Royal Tunbridge Wells town centre and the wider borough. In the longer term there is significant added value for the Council in owning both the freehold and the lease; in the short to medium-term it is a commitment by the Council to the town centre and its future prosperity.

This is in line with the objectives of the Council’s Strategic Plan.

The proposed scheme is for a multi-screen boutique cinema, leisure and dining offer, in combination with improvements to the retail space. This will be focused on the Ely Court and Palm Court areas of the centre with a residential development on Market Square.

The residential development on Market Square could be delivered by a private developer, so it is too early to say what it will look like. The Local Plan for the borough sets out what housing should be developed so with that in mind we expect it will be a mix of housing types of different sizes.

We’ll keep you informed as plans progress.

A timetable is set out in the feasibility study report. If the necessary statutory permissions are obtained development could start on site in early 2027 with completion by 2029.

Businesses in Ely Court at present are defined as ‘Meanwhile Uses’ offering small and start-up businesses the opportunity to develop while the longer term future of the centre is considered. The terms entered into by the businesses reflect this and they will need to relocate. We are discussing future opportunities in the shopping centre with them but they may need to relocate to another town centre location.

Discussions have commenced with the existing business and organisations around Market Square regarding the potential for relocation within the proposed scheme. The future of the Camden Centre is being discussed.

When the Council acquired RVP we were aware that several of the buildings, purchased by a previous owner for a redevelopment that fell through, at the corner of Calverley Road and Camden Road, adjoining Ely Court, were uninhabitable and in need of major refurbishment or redevelopment.

Preparation for the development that fell through included clearing the former food court. Some refurbishment was done but it did not extend into Palm Court.

Even if the Council decided to do nothing there are significant costs attached to the maintenance/replacement work that need to be addressed in Ely Court and Palm Court and the work will provide little or no revitalisation benefit to Royal Victoria Place or the town. You can read more about what ‘do nothing’ means in the feasibility study report.

A leisure led, mixed-use development with a multi-screen boutique cinema, leisure and dining offer together with improvements to the retail environment and a residential development could cost between £42m and £68m (prices as at June 2025) depending on how the scheme delivery is managed. The Council will make more detailed considerations on the delivery of the scheme as it is designed during the next stages.

Amion Consulting was commissioned to provide a report detailing the economic benefits of developing Royal Victoria Place. Their report provides a complete picture of the economic, financial and social benefits of the development against the Council’s Strategic Objectives and to ensure alignment with Royal Victoria Place’s business plan. The report also considered and contrasted the alternative options.

At this early stage of the project the Council has outlined a funding strategy which assumes that the gross capital cost will be funded from external borrowing. It shows that the recommended option is viable when considering the financial and wider economic benefits it generates; this is supported by the economic study. The funding strategy is published in the financial summary in exempt appendices of the report viewable by Councillors.

The Council acquired RVP in 2023 with the intention of stabilising the centre, reducing the number of vacant units with a longer term aim of improving the retail and leisure offer in the town centre. The strategy was set out in the acquisition business plan and has been updated in subsequent business plans. The Council has made progress in reducing the number of vacant retail units and introducing new retailers including Sostrene Grene and Primark (opening winter 2025).  We will continue to review options including the potential to sell RVP. At this stage in ownership and stabilising the centre, the Council is possibly best placed to deliver the transformative investment that the shopping centre and the town needs.

We undertook very successful public engagement during May 2025 to best understand what residents and visitors would like to see in a future Royal Victoria Place before Full Council was asked to take a view on the feasibility study report. Read the results of the public engagement

We will keep people informed about progress in the coming months. We will be undertaking further engagement with residents and businesses when we have an initial design. We expect further public engagement will commence early in 2026.

This further engagement will take place before a planning application is submitted and any statutory planning consultation.

In advance of formal consultation we welcome views about the future look of Royal Victoria Place rvp@tunbridgewells.gov.uk.