One of Tonbridge’s most notorious eyesores, the long-abandoned development site on Avebury Avenue, is finally set to be completed, with works expected to resume within the next month.
The Tonbridge Area Planning Committee yesterday approved a revised design for the partially constructed building at 2-12 Avebury Avenue, located opposite Tonbridge Medical Group on the corner of River Lawn Road. The decision received support from Councillors across all political parties on the committee (Green, Conservative, and Liberal Democrat).
A Four-Year Saga Concludes
The site has stood derelict for years after the previous owner went into administration mid-build, leaving behind a partially finished structure that local residents and councillors have called a complete eyesore.
Councillor Matt Boughton, who issued a press release on the approval, noted that attempts for the Council to buy the site were not financially viable. The project was complicated by an existing, unappealing planning permission that featured “awful design using white render,” but the current developer eventually agreed to amendments that significantly improved the look of the scheme.
Delivering Brownfield Housing
The approved scheme will deliver 34 new homes on a brownfield site in what Cllr Boughton described as “arguably one of the best served parts of the borough, by road, bus and rail.”
He emphasised the importance of using town centre sites to meet housing demand, stating that the project contributes to the near 20,000 homes the government requires the borough to build over the next 15 years.
The agent for the development confirmed at the committee meeting that they expect construction work on the new scheme to restart within the next four weeks.
The current eyesore on Avebury Avenue
Local Business Relief
The reaction from the local area has been overwhelmingly positive. Local businesses in particular have expressed their joy that something is finally happening with the site, which has been a blight on the townscape for too long. With construction now imminent, the area looks forward to the completion of the project and the removal of the long-standing eyesore.
Retail Future Remains Unclear
While the residential aspect of the scheme is now clear, it remains unclear whether the ground floor of the completed building will incorporate retail or commercial units. Given the building’s prominent location on the corner of a busy street, the inclusion of small shops or business space could significantly enhance the vitality of the immediate area. Further details are expected to be confirmed when the developers publicly release more detailed construction and fit-out plans.
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