Overview

The new Local Plan for Tunbridge Wells borough provides the basis for determining the suitability of development proposals across the borough to 2038.

The role of the Local Plan is to set out the spatial vision and strategic objectives for the borough, as well as the development strategy needed to meet those objectives. It details overarching place shaping policies for each parish and settlement within the borough, as well as specific site allocations to deliver the strategy, and detailed development management policies to be applied to all new developments across the borough.

It aims to strike a balance between:

• growth to meet current and future housing needs
• safeguarding the borough’s important natural and historic environments

Stages of the Local Plan

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council submitted its Local Plan in November 2021, for examination by an independent Planning Inspector on behalf of the Secretary of State.

As indicated on the flowchart below, the Local Plan has undergone six periods of public consultation.

There were three periods prior to the submission: an Issues and Options (Regulation 18) stage, a Draft Local Plan (Regulation 18) stage, and a Pre-Submission version of the Local Plan (Regulation 19).

The other post-submission periods include a public consultation focusing on the proposed changes to the Submission Local Plan following the receipt of the Inspector’s Initial Findings in November 2022, and a Public Consultation in September – October 2024 on a suite of new evidence base documents following Stage 3 Hearing Sessions held in June and July 2024. Most recently, a Consultation on proposed Main Modifications to the Local Plan was held between March and April 2025, following the final Hearing Session held in November 2024.

Representations made to the proposed Main Modifications to the Local Plan

Representations made to the consultation can be viewed on the representations from the consultations webpage, along with the Councils summary and response to these. -->

Adopted Local Plan

The council received the Inspector’s Final Report on 14  October 2025, and this marked the end of the Examination of the Tunbridge Wells Local Plan 2020 - 2038. The Report concluded that the duty to cooperate had been met and that with the recommended Main Modifications  set out in the Appendix to this Report, the Tunbridge Wells Borough Local Plan is sound, meaning that it could proceed to be adopted by the council.

The Local Plan 2020-2038 has now been taken through the council’s Committee cycle for adoption. It was reported to the Communities Housing and Environment Cabinet Advisory Board on 11 November, the Council’s Cabinet meeting on  4 December, finishing with the Full Council meeting on 10 December 2025, at which the Plan was formally adopted.

The adopted Tunbridge Wells Local Plan 2020-2038 replaces the existing 2006 Local Plan, the Core Strategy (2010) and the Site Allocations Local Plan (2016).

Further Information

Please visit webpages Examination of the Local Plan and latest news for further details on the Examination or the previous stages of the Local Plan as required.

The process and overall timetable for the Local Plan, as well as for other planning documents, is contained in the council’s latest Local Development Scheme .