Overview

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

Much has changed since 2010, when the current strategic plan (the Core Strategy) was adopted, in particular the increased levels of housing and economic development need.

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 emerging Local Plan for Examination in November 2021, since when an independent Planning Inspector has been examining the Plan on behalf of the Secretary of State.

As indicated on the flowchart below, the emerging 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.

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 .

When adopted, the new Local Plan will replace the existing 2006 Local Plan, the Core Strategy (2010) and the Site Allocations Local Plan (2016).