Response to Masterplan Consultation

The Society has reviewed the proposed masterplan for the area of land owned by the borough council to the east of the High Street. This is part of a consultation currently being conducted by the Borough Council. Responses are open until August 31. Further details are here and the survey is here.

This is the land surrounding and including the Angel Centre, and currently contains car parks. It does include the car park behind the High Street, but does not include the car park to the east of Sainsbury’s.

The Society will be sending the Council a detailed response. A summary of our initial findings can be found below:

The Society welcomes the efforts to regenerate the area to the east of the High Street. The redevelopment of Sainsbury’s, combined with central government demand for large numbers of new housing, means the Society is open to reimagining the area.

The area covered by the proposed masterplan

In its specifics, we strongly support the idea of a linear park alongside the river, and - subject to appropriate design - additional residential development. A new health centre building presumably should be a welcome boost to patient numbers, and the prospect of a new hotel seems positive, given previous studies indicating a relatively low number of hotel beds for a town of Tonbridge’s size and location.

Regarding the replacement for the Angel Centre, we acknowledge and support the idea that the new building should be a key component. However, we lack information on what it will contain and so remain concerned that the civic facilities will be squeezed out, just as they have been sidelined in the current building.

And while we welcome the consultation for many other areas - notably parking, connectivity, traffic management and flood issues - there isn’t sufficient information to take a well-reasoned view.