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Representations and next steps


All duly-made representations to the Issues and Options Consultation, Draft Local Plan (Regulation 18) and Pre-Submission Local Plan (Regulation 19) have been screened, uploaded and subsequently summarised in the following documents:

The Submission Local PlanSustainability Appraisal, and Submission Core Documents along with the Consultation Statement for the Submission Local Plan (Part 1 and Part 2 October 2021) were submitted to the Secretary of State for Independent Examination on 1 November 2021. Further detail is available on the Examination of the Local Plan webpage.

The overview sets out the remaining stages in the production of the Local Plan, and further details are also available in the updated Local Development Scheme (LDS) December 2023. The LDS sets out the remaining stages and timescale the adoption of the Local Plan, expected to be at the end of 2024.

Next steps

Response to Inspector’s Initial Findings

Following receipt of the Inspector’s Initial Findings Letter in November 2022 the Council is proposing in response that the examination of the Local Plan be progressed through a Revised Development Strategy to the Tunbridge Wells Submission Local Plan (SLP).

The following changes are proposed:

  • Proposed removal of the strategic policy STR/SS 3: The Strategy for Tudeley Village from the Local Plan.
  • Revision of the strategic policy STR/SS 1: The Strategy for Paddock Wood and land at east Capel, including a reduction in the amount of residential housing growth by approximately 1,000 dwellings, with all housing being on Flood Zone 1 and employment land on Flood Zone 2, along with a reduction of employment provision, and reconfigured sport and recreation provision and secondary school education provision (as set out at Appendix D of the Development Strategy Topic Paper Addendum).
  • At Hawkhurst it is proposed to revise site allocation policy number AL/HA 5: Land to the north of Birchfield Grove, to include housing, and land safeguarded for primary school expansion (in accordance with a planning committee resolution on application reference 22/02664/HYBRID).
  • Also at Hawkhurst, the Council proposes the removal of site allocation policy number AL/HA 8: Limes Grove (March’s Field) from the Local Plan. This site was proposed for employment use in the Submission Local Plan.
  • Progression of a 10 year housing land supply position including the requirement for an immediate review of the plan.

The proposed Revised Development Strategy and full response to the Inspector’s Initial Findings Letter is set out in the Development Strategy Topic Paper Addendum [PS_054]. The Council’s response to the Inspector was considered and approved by Full Council for public consultation on 13 December 2023. An accompanying Sustainability Appraisal Addendum also forms part of the public consultation and there is a set of associated evidence base documents covering a range of matters that has informed the Council’s response. All consultation documents including a Summary (Table) of Proposed Modifications to the Development Strategy [PS_063] to assist with making comments, can be viewed here: Post-Initial Findings Evidence Base Documents.

Public Consultation

A six week public consultation on these proposed changes took place between 15 January and 26 February 2024. This consultation period has been extended*.

* As a result of some internal database issues identified by the Council the public consultation period is being extended until midnight on Friday 12 April 2024 so that all relevant parties have the opportunity to respond to the Council’s Response to the Inspector’s Initial Findings letter.

As there is no change to the information contained in the consultation, all representations made between 15 January and 26 February 2024 will be taken into account and passed on to the Inspector - there is no need for these to be re-submitted. Following the extended deadline of Friday 12 April 2024, any further representations received in response to the consultation will also be taken into account and passed on to the Inspector.

Further details about the consultation can be found on the council’s Consultation on Council’s Response to Inspector’s Initial Findings webpage.