Residents have until 11.59pm on Sunday 25 October to comment on proposals for 2,849 homes across nine sites in Tonbridge, including a major expansion to the north-east of the town. Concerns over water supply, roads and supporting infrastructure remain central to the debate.
Time is running out for Tonbridge residents who want to have their say on Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s Local Plan, which sets out how the borough is proposed to develop up to 2042.
The Regulation 19 consultation opened on 11 September after the Government directed the council to proceed, despite councillors voting earlier in the month to pause the plan while further evidence on water supply was sought.
Although the Local Plan covers the whole borough, its proposals have significant implications for Tonbridge itself, from new neighbourhoods on the edge of town to potential redevelopment of sites closer to the town centre.
Nine proposed housing sites in Tonbridge
The Local Plan’s site-allocation schedule identifies nine proposed housing sites within Tonbridge, with a combined estimated yield of 2,849 homes.
This figure relates to these nine allocations; it is not the total housing figure for the wider Tonbridge and Hilden Park area, which includes separate sites in Hildenborough.
The largest proposed development is land north-east of Tonbridge, where around 1,500 homes are planned. The approximately 79-hectare site lies north of the town, between existing residential areas and the surrounding countryside.
The plan envisages a new neighbourhood supported by education, healthcare, retail, leisure and community facilities. It also includes a new road connection between the A26 (Hadlow Road East) and Higham Lane, alongside improved walking and cycling routes.
However, the allocation comes with several constraints. The Local Plan identifies a small section in the south-west of the site within Flood Zones 2 and 3. An oil pipeline also crosses part of the allocation, and the proposals must address groundwater protection, drainage and the impact on surrounding areas.
The plan requires a flood-risk assessment and appropriate measures to avoid development in the areas most at risk wherever possible.
Other sites around the town
The remaining proposed allocations range from larger sites on the outskirts to smaller opportunities within Tonbridge.
| Proposed site | Homes |
|---|---|
| Land at south-west Tonbridge | 408 |
| Coblands Nursery and Little Trench Farm, Trench Road | 394 |
| Land north of Priory Road, south of the railway | 159 |
| Sovereign Way North | 122 |
| The River Centre | 122 |
| Land adjacent to Vauxhall Gardens and the Vauxhall Inn, Vauxhall Lane | 76 |
| Angel Centre | 56 |
| Vale Road Car Park | 12 |
Together with the 1,500 homes proposed north-east of Tonbridge, these allocations bring the total to 2,849.
The south-west Tonbridge site is intended to deliver around 408 homes alongside education, community, retail and leisure uses, and green infrastructure. The Local Plan identifies part of the site’s north-western area within Flood Zone 2. It also notes the site’s proximity to Haysden Conservation Area and listed buildings, meaning the design and layout will need to respond to local heritage and landscape considerations.
Coblands Nursery and Little Trench Farm, meanwhile, is allocated for 394 homes. The plan identifies nearby Ancient Woodland, trees requiring protection and areas of archaeological interest as considerations for any development.
These are proposed Local Plan allocations, not nine developments that have all received planning permission. Each proposal would still need to go through the relevant planning application process and meet the applicable planning requirements.
Changes could also come to the town centre
The proposals are not confined to new housing on the edge of Tonbridge. The plan also identifies smaller sites within the town, including the Angel Centre and Vale Road Car Park.
The council’s wider vision includes regenerating Tonbridge town centre, with improvements to public spaces and better connections between the railway station, High Street and surrounding neighbourhoods. It identifies the Angel Centre and land east of the High Street as opportunity areas for regeneration.
The proposals therefore cover both the expansion of Tonbridge and opportunities to make better use of existing sites.
Water supply remains a key concern
One of the main questions surrounding the Local Plan is whether the infrastructure needed to support the proposed growth can be delivered in time.
On the day the consultation opened, council leader Cllr Matt Boughton wrote to housing minister Matthew Pennycook MP, arguing that the Government’s direction to proceed should be withdrawn.
A central concern is the gap between housing requirements and South East Water’s own forecast of housing growth in its water resources plan.
South East Water’s August 2026 statement compares annual housing need in Tonbridge and Malling of 1,097 homes with an annualised growth figure of 317 homes in its water resources plan. That represents a difference of 780 homes a year.
Cllr Boughton’s letter uses a housing need figure of 1,117 homes a year, the figure cited by the minister, giving a difference of 800 homes annually.
Both comparisons point to the same issue: whether water supplies and the infrastructure needed to support planned development will be available when required.
South East Water has identified potential measures to increase supplies, including additional boreholes and new water connections. However, some proposals have lengthy delivery timescales, and questions remain over funding and the certainty of some schemes.
The council voted on 3 September to pause progression of the Local Plan while it sought further evidence from South East Water. The vote was 33 to nine, with one abstention. The Government subsequently directed the council to continue with the consultation.
The water figures relate to the borough as a whole, rather than Tonbridge alone. Nevertheless, the issue is directly relevant to the town’s proposed growth: how will essential services keep pace with new homes?
What does the plan promise for infrastructure?
The Local Plan’s vision is for development to be supported by the timely provision of roads, public transport, schools, healthcare, utilities, water supply, wastewater capacity and community facilities.
For north-east Tonbridge, the proposed primary school, healthcare provision, local facilities and road connection form part of the planned approach to the new neighbourhood. The south-west allocation also includes supporting facilities and green infrastructure.
The crucial question for residents is whether these measures can be delivered alongside the housing, rather than after new homes have already added pressure to existing services and roads.
The plan contains site-specific requirements on matters such as transport connections, drainage, flood risk and environmental protection. Residents can examine these details in the individual allocation policies and assess whether they believe the proposals are adequately supported by evidence.
How to comment on the plan
The consultation closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 25 October 2026. This is the final formal opportunity to make representations before the Local Plan is submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination.
Importantly, this is not a general consultation on planning matters. Residents are being asked to comment on whether the plan is legally compliant and whether it meets the tests of soundness.
That means responses should identify a particular policy, paragraph or location on the Policies Map and explain why it is considered sound or unsound. Relevant issues might include whether infrastructure can be delivered alongside development, whether the evidence supports a proposed allocation, or whether the approach adequately addresses flood risk, transport or the environment.
The four tests of soundness concern whether the plan has been positively prepared, is justified by appropriate evidence, is effective and deliverable, and is consistent with national planning policy.
Residents can read the proposals and submit their comments through the council’s online consultation portal. A downloadable Word response form is also available.
Read the Local Plan: Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
Submit comments online: Regulation 19 consultation portal
Download a Word response form: Council representation form
We understand that the plans are also available to view and comment at the council offices in Kingshill and at Tonbridge Castle.
The deadline is 25 October. For Tonbridge residents concerned about the future shape of the town, the consultation is an opportunity to examine the proposals in detail and explain where they believe changes are needed before the plan proceeds to independent examination.
Related from Tonbridge Bean
- Tonbridge and Malling Leader Challenges Government Directives as Local Plan Consultation Opens – 16 September 2026
- Government Overrules Council to Force Ahead with Tonbridge & Malling Local Plan – 06 September 2026
- Tonbridge & Malling Advances Final Local Plan Draft Ahead of Key September Council Vote – 29 August 2026
- Public Consultation on Draft Local Plan to Open November 2025: Tonbridge and Malling Seeks Public Input on Borough’s Future – 24th October 2025
Sources
- Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, Local Plan – Local plan – Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (as of 09 October 2026)
- Cllr Matt Boughton letter to The Rt Hon Matthew Pennycook MP – 11 September 2026
- Options Statement to inform the Tonbridge and Malling Regulation 19 Local Plan 2024-2042 – August 2026
- Council Meeting Minutes – 3 September 2026
Written by Emma
Emma is the events and lifestyle editor for the Tonbridge Bean. She is passionate about coffee shop openings, getting out in nature and food. Particularly when those things are Tonbridge flavoured.
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