Local Plan Consultation Begins

Residents now have the opportunity to give our views to Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (TMBC). TMBC’s goal is to see a thriving Borough that meets the needs of residents and businesses, whilst protecting heritage features and the natural environment.

To achieve this, the council is required to produce a local plan.This document sets out the vision and framework for how the borough will evolve and will guide decision making on future planning applications. It will identify key planning issues that need to be addressed between now and 2040, including the supply of housing, protecting the environment and supporting businesses.

The Council needs 839 new dwellings per year to meet the demand set by central government. Where should these houses be built? It is also vital to provide the necessary infrastructure such as health provision and schools. We also need to address the pressure new building places on transport links.    This can be eased by prioritising the building of new homes that have facilities nearby to reduce the need for car travel.

We are fortunate to live in a town with beautiful countryside and buildings of historical interest. How do we protect these and still provide the number of homes required? Over 70% of Tonbridge and Malling is made up of Green Belt. Do we focus development in existing towns and villages or should we remove some land from the Green Belt and use it for development? Should there be more high-density development in some areas to help reduce pressure on the Green Belt?

These are all issues that will need to be considered when the council produces its final local plan. Everyone will have their own thoughts on how these matters should be dealt with and TMBC wants to hear the views of residents through the Regulation 18 consultation.    All the information can be found on the TMBC website and responses can be made online. The closing date is November 3rd.