Just 36 hours after Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (TMBC) voted to freeze its draft Local Plan over severe water supply fears, central government has intervened, issuing a binding directive that orders the council to proceed immediately.
At a full council meeting on Thursday, 3 September 2026, elected members took a firm stand, voting against approving the draft Local Plan for its next statutory phase. Councillors argued it was irresponsible to commit to ambitious housebuilding targets without explicit guarantees from utility providers that local infrastructure could meet the demand for clean water.
However, Whitehall has reviewed the decision and invoked intervention powers to overrule the local vote, instructing TMBC to push ahead with the formal Regulation 19 consultation.
“Flies in the Face of Devolution”
The Government’s intervention has drawn sharp criticism from local leadership, who argue that overruling local representatives undermines community governance.
Councillor Matt Boughton, Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, expressed deep disappointment in the Ministry’s decision:
“Councillors were firm that we should not pursue the Local Plan until there was a guarantee of water supply to every property the Government wishes to see built across the borough.
This intervention by the Government flies in the face of the devolution agenda, aimed at empowering communities. The Government should not use its powers to overrule democratically elected Councillors and insist we proceed with the Local Plan on these numbers, despite there being no guarantee of water supply.”
Cllr Boughton added that while TMBC is considering its legal and administrative next steps, it will continue dialogue with key stakeholders:
“The decision was clear that the council will continue to work with Government and South East Water, but we will encourage every resident to tell the Government that we should not be planning to build more homes than our water infrastructure is capable of delivering, now and in the future.”
What Happens Next?
With the directive legally binding the council, TMBC confirmed it will comply with the order to launch the formal public consultation.
- Consultation Start Date: Expected to open on Friday, 11 September 2026.
- What is Regulation 19? This represents the final formal stage where residents, local businesses, and community groups can inspect the draft Local Plan and submit official representations on its soundness and legal compliance before it goes to a Planning Inspector for independent examination.
Full details on how residents can inspect the documentation and submit their comments will be published on the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council website ahead of the launch.
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