Southborough

Neighbourhood Plan Proposal

Southborough Town Council submitted the Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Development Plan to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on 19 May 2025 in accordance with Regulation 15 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

In accordance with Regulation 16 the Borough Council is inviting representations on the Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Development Plan from 10am on 11 June until midnight on 25 July 2025.

The following documents are available for viewing:

A paper copy of the Plan and supporting documents will be available to view at:

• Southborough Library, 137 London Road, Southborough, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 0ND, you can view their opening times on the Southborough Library website.
• St. Matthew’s Church Office, High Brooms Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9BW from Monday to Friday (excl. Wednesday ) 9am to 3pm.

A paper copy will also be on deposit at the Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1RS. Please email neighbourhoodplans@tunbridgewells.gov.uk to arrange an appointment.

The easiest way to submit comments on the Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Development Plan is online via the Consultation Portal. Alternatively, please complete the Response Form below and submit your comments in the following ways:

• by email to: neighbourhoodplans@tunbridgewells.gov.uk
• by post to: Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Plan, Planning Policy, Planning Services, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1RS

You can submit as many separate comments on the Plan as you wish, and you can also provide supporting documents to your response.

Next steps

Following the consultation period, the Borough Council will collate and pass all representations to an independent examiner who will look at them and the Plan documents when assessing whether the Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Plan meets the relevant legislation and can proceed to referendum. In responding to the consultation, you may also request to be notified of the Council’s decision regarding the outcome of the independent examination of the Plan (under Regulation 19).

If the examiner and the Council believe that the Plan meets all the relevant requirements, then a decision will be made to hold a referendum on the Plan, which will allow residents to decide whether the Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Plan should be confirmed and become part of the Development Plan for the borough, carrying relevant legal weight in the determination of planning applications in the town council area of Southborough.

Further information and background documents on the Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Plan are available to view on the Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Plan website set up by the Town Council.

If you require further information on the Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Plan consultation process, please contact the Planning Policy Team on 01892 554056 or email neighbourhoodplans@tunbridgewells.gov.uk.

Pre-Submission Neighbourhood Plan (Regulation 14 Consultation)

Southborough Town Council consulted on the Pre-Submission Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Plan (Regulation 14) between 9 December 2024 and 2 June 2025. Details of the consultation along with the Pre-Submission Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Plan and other consultation documents may be viewed on the Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Plan website.

Designation of Southborough as a Neighbourhood Area

Southborough Town Council applied to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for the designation of a neighbourhood area under The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 on 21 June 2023. The area proposed covers the whole of the parished area of Southborough and is the first step for Southborough Town Council in preparing a Neighbourhood Plan.

The borough council approved the neighbourhood area on 11 August 2023.

The following documents are available for viewing: