NOW LIVE - Local Plan Review Scoping Consultation
The Tunbridge Wells Local Plan 2020-2038 (adopted by the Council in December 2025) includes a commitment to starting a Local Plan review within six months of adoption of the Plan (set out within Policy STR1 The Development Strategy policy).
We are now beginning a review of the Tunbridge Wells Borough Local Plan setting the framework for how the borough will grow and prosper over the coming years. The Local Plan Review will cover the period 2029 - 2044 and be undertaken in accordance with the Government’s new plan-making Regulations which came into effect in March 2026. The Plan shall be referred to as the Tunbridge Wells Local Plan Review 2029.
The Scoping Consultation is the first public consultation in the preparation of the new Local Plan and seeks early views from different people, stakeholders, statutory bodies and other organisations on what the plan should contain and how future engagement should be carried out in preparing the Local Plan at each stage. This is as required by Regulation 20 of the new plan-making Regulations. The different stages of Local Plan preparation and related timings can be viewed in our Local Plan Review Timetable.
We are consulting on two documents:
- The Local Plan Review Scoping Consultation document which incorporates a set of questions (starting on page 16 of the document) to help provide feedback on what the Local Plan Review should cover and how should we engage throughout the Local Plan Review process,
- The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Scoping Report which evaluates the potential environmental, economic and social impacts of the Local Plan review.
The consultation documents can be viewed online on our Tunbridge Wells Borough Local Plan Review Consultations webpage or on the consultation portal.
In addition, paper copies of the consultation documents are available at:
- The Town Hall, Mount Pleasant Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1RS, which is open 9am-5pm (Monday to Friday) excluding Bank Holidays (Telephone 01892 526121).
- The Amelia Scott, Mount Pleasant Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1AW, which is open from 9am-6pm (Monday to Wednesday and on Friday), 9am-8pm on Thursday, 9am-5pm on Saturday and 10am-4pm on a Sunday (Telephone 01892 526121).
- The Town Council Offices at Paddock Wood and Parish Council Offices at Cranbrook; you can view the more details on our website Parish and Town Councils - Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.
Paper copies can be made available upon request, for those unable to view documents online or at the above locations.
Representations can be submitted:
- By the preferred option of online
- By contacting us for a copy of the submission form at LocalPlan@tunbridgewells.gov.uk and returning the form to the same email address or by printing it off and returning by post to: Planning Policy, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Town Hall, Mount Pleasant Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1RS.
The consultation runs for a period of four weeks from 14 July 2026 until midnight on 11 August 2026.
REMINDER - Call for Sites
A reminder that we are also currently running a 'Call for Sites’ inviting residents, landowners, developers and other stakeholders to suggest sites for consideration for allocation for development as part of the Local Plan Review until the 3 August 2026. Further details can be found on the Council’s Call for Sites webpage.
If you have any queries or are seeking assistance, please email us at planning.policy@tunbridgewells.gov.uk or telephone 01892 554056.
