Local Plan Review Timetable

In March 2026, the government published new legislation and guidance that requires all local authorities to follow a new plan-making process when preparing Local Plans. A requirement of the new process is for the local authority to publish, and keep up to date, a Local Plan Timetable. This has, in effect, replaced the requirement to keep an updated Local Development Scheme, to ensure we meet the new requirements.

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 (this is set out within Policy STR1 The Development Strategy policy). This is mainly because of the adopted Local Plan having a 10 year rather than a 15 year Housing Land Supply. The Council  is therefore now beginning the Local Plan Review which will cover the period 2029 to 2044. Furthermore, the housing growth needs of the Borough have increased significantly because of the Government’s new Standard Method, so it is important that the Council begins work on a new Local Plan in order to seek ways to meet the growth needs of the Borough. The new local plan will not include the Kent County wide Minerals and Waste Local Plan, which is prepared by Kent County Council.

Below is the current timetable for preparing the Tunbridge Wells Borough Local Plan Review 2029, which will cover the administrative area of Tunbridge Wells Borough. This timetable will be updated as the plan progresses.

This timetable takes effect from 26 June 2026.

Timetable published 26 June 2026

Publish ‘Notice of intention to commence Local Plan preparation’

When: 26 June 2026

Publishing the notice of intention to commence Local Plan preparation is a new requirement. It gives communities and stakeholders advance notice of plan‑making and sets out when and how they can get involved. The notice must be published at least four months before Gateway 1.

Publication of Notice of Scoping Consultation

When: On or before 14 July 2026

The Council is required to publish a ‘Notice of Scoping Consultation’, the purpose of which is to notify people of the upcoming Scoping Consultation.

Start of first formal consultation - Scoping Consultation

When: 14 July 2026 (4 weeks)

The Council will undertake a Scoping Consultation providing the opportunity for early engagement in the plan-making process and inviting representations from different people, stakeholders, statutory bodies and other organisations as to what the plan should contain and how future engagement should be carried out in preparing the Local Plan at each stage. This consultation will run for a period of four weeks from 14 July to 11 August 2026.

Date when representations to the Scoping Consultation must be received

When: 11 August 2026

All representations on the Scoping Consultation must be received on or before this date. The Council will publish representations received to the Scoping Consultation and a summary of the Scoping Consultation after it has reached the Gateway 1 Self-Assessment.

Gateway 1 (publication of Self‑Assessment summary)

When: 30 October 2026

The new plan-making system includes three new ‘Gateways’. The first gateway, Gateway 1 is a Self‑Assessment summary confirming that the Council has published its timetable and Notice of Intention and completed the Scoping Consultation and progressed on some other matters. It also confirms that the Council has a project plan in place to begin the formal stage of preparing the Local Plan. Following the completion of Gateway 1, the Council has 30 months to prepare and adopt the new local plan, beginning November 2026.

Publication of Notice of Consultation on Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence

When: On or before 02 March 2027

The Council is required to publish a ‘Notice of Consultation on the Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence’. The purpose of the notice is to notify people of the upcoming consultation on the Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence.

Start of second formal consultation - Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence consultation

When: 02 March 2027

Having considered the scoping consultation and undertaken further work the Council will   undertake a second public consultation which will be on the Local Plan Content and Evidence. This consultation will run for a period of just over six weeks (allowing two additional days for the Easter Bank Holiday) from 2 March to 15 April 2027 and invite representations on the proposed local plan content and evidence, which is likely to include:

• a proposed vision and any proposed aims and objectives to achieve the vision
• an emerging spatial/development strategy
• emerging policies (including site allocation policies)
• summary of emerging evidence to support the Local Plan and any other supporting information
• a map of proposed local plan policies
• initial findings relating to the strategic environmental assessment

Date when representations to the proposed Local Plan content and evidence consultation must be received

When: 15 April 2027

All representations on the proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence consultation must be received on or before this date. The Council will publish representations received to the Plan Content and Evidence Consultation and a summary of this consultation.

Gateway 2

When: 15 September 2027

The Council will seek observations and advice from a Gateway 2 assessor to obtain feedback on the draft plan and supporting evidence, ensuring our approach aligns with national policy, guidance and legislation. The Council will publish the outcomes and advice received as soon as is reasonably practicable after receipt.

Publication of Notice of Consultation on Proposed Local Plan

When: On or before 30 November 2027

The Council is required to publish a ‘Notice of Consultation on the Proposed Local Plan’. The purpose of the notice is to notify people of the upcoming consultation on the Proposed Local Plan.

Third formal consultation - Proposed Local Plan consultation

When: 30 November 2027

The Council will undertake a public consultation on the Proposed Local Plan for a period of just over eight weeks (allowing three additional days for the Christmas/New Year Bank Holiday) from 30 November 2027 to 28 January 2028. The consultation will invite representations on the proposed Local Plan submission documents, including:

• the proposed Local Plan (including a suite of policies to guide development and site allocation policies)
• a map of proposed local plan policies
• details of the evidence gathered to support the Plan and other relevant supporting documents
• a consultation statement setting out who was notified and how for the two previous consultations (scoping consultation and consultation on proposed local plan content and evidence), including a summary of the main issues raised and how these have been addressed in the proposed Local Plan

Date when representations on the proposed Local Plan consultation must be received

When: 28 January 2028

All representations on the proposed Local Plan consultation must be received on or before this date. The Council will publish representations received to the Proposed Local Plan consultation and a summary of this consultation prior to Gateway 3.

Gateway 3

When: 10 July 2028

The Council will seek observations and advice from a Gateway 3 assessor to obtain feedback on the Plan (including a final check on whether it includes an appropriate vision and measurable outcomes and considers specific matters such as housing, climate change, local nature recovery strategies) and the supporting evidence. This is to ensure our approach aligns with national policy, guidance and legislation before the plan is submitted for formal examination. The Council will publish the outcome received as soon as is reasonably practicable after receipt.

Submission of the proposed Local Plan to the Secretary of State for independent Examination

When: 09 October 2028

The proposed Local Plan must be submitted for an independent Examination carried out by a Planning Inspector. The Examination should last no longer than 6 months.

Consideration of adoption of the proposed Local Plan

When: 30 April 2029

At a meeting of Full Council, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council will consider adopting the proposed Local Plan as the development plan for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

View the Local Plan Timetable

You can view the Local Plan Timetable below:

Local Plan 2029 timetable CSV download

This CSV file contains the information above and will be updated when changes have been made to the timetable and when milestones have been met.

The data within this file is being provided under the Gov.uk: Open Government Licence.

In addition, paper copies will be made 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 Parish and Town Council office locations webpage for more details.

Copies of the Timetable will also be available on request by contacting  LocalPlan@TunbridgeWells.gov.uk.

Further assistance

Should you require further assistance please contact us:

By email:
LocalPlan@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

By post:
Planning Policy
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Town Hall
Mount Pleasant Road
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Kent TN1 1RS.

By phone:
01892 554056