Royal Victoria Place shopping centre redevelopment
Full Council in July 2025 agreed to progress with the design of new shopping and leisure facilities, and new homes at the RVP shopping centre.
The proposed scheme focuses on the redevelopment of the eastern end of the centre (Palm Court and Ely Court) together with Market Square. It will deliver a leisure led and mixed-use development of Ely Court based around a multi-screen boutique cinema, leisure and dining offer in combination with improvements to the retail environment and offer in Palm Court. The scheme will transform the shopping centre, supporting it as a focus for the community, and will strengthen the Council’s investment in the town centre. A separate residential development is proposed for Market Square.
What is the proposed area for redevelopment?
See a plan of RVP and the key development sites.
What is proposed?
We are proposing to deliver a new 3-screen boutique cinema and leisure hub on Ely Court, creating an all-day destination with five new restaurant units. The proposals carefully retain the Friendly Societies Hall frontage on Camden Road as part of the town’s historic fabric and respond to more than 25 years of demand for a town centre cinema.
Alongside this, the wider vision includes a renewed heart for Royal Victoria Place at Palm Court. Plans include a new roof, new retail spaces, repurposing the former food court, upgraded toilets and a refreshed atrium to improve circulation and create a more active, welcoming environment. Together, they form an important part of the long-term strategy for Royal Victoria Place.
Market Square
Additional work is to be undertaken to ensure the right residential mix and supporting infrastructure can be delivered on Market Square. As a result proposals for Market Square will be brought forward as a separate phase. This approach allows the key town centre regeneration to continue to move ahead. There remains a strong ambition to redevelop the site and bring forward new homes in the town centre as part of the Council’s overall vision.
What happens next?
The scheme has been further developed with the aim of applying for planning permission in Spring 2026.
Community Engagement
Further stakeholder engagement has commenced. Public engagement commences on Friday 13 March and will run until Monday 23 March 2026. Face-to-face engagement events for the public will take place in Unit 33, Upper Mall (between iStore and Kent Relief, a few doors down from Primark), Royal Victoria Place, Tunbridge Wells, on:
- Friday 13 March from 2pm to 5pm
- Saturday 14 March from 10am to 2pm
- Saturday 21 March from 10am to 2pm
The designs will also be available online at rvpfuture.comfrom Thursday 12 March.
A comment form is available online and at the events, with all feedback to be received by 23 March.
Information can be found Royal Victoria Place Future.
The key dates in the proposed timeline are:
| Milestone | Date | Completion |
|---|---|---|
| Full Council – redevelopment option decision | 16 July 2025 |  |
| Tender award and design team appointment | September 2025 | |
| Public Engagement | December 2025 | |
| Public engagement | March 2026 | |
| RIBA 2 design completed | March 2026 | |
| Submit planning application | March 2026 | |
| Planning application determined | July 2026 | |
| RIBA 3 design completed | July 2026 | |
| Full Council – scheme delivery decision | October 2026 | |
| Potential construction start | Winter 2027 | |
| Potential construction completion | Autumn 2029 |