Illustrative View

Welcome to our website which will provide you with lots of information on the emerging proposals to develop land at Hubbles Farm, Hastings Road, Pembury.

Our ambition for the site is to provide circa 103 new homes - including 40% affordable housing, open and recreational space including a children’s play area, safeguard land for a future extension to the Pembury Cemetery, and new pedestrian and cycle routes, including links to existing Public Right of Way’s.

We consulted with the community and held a public exhibition on Tuesday 27th February and an online webinar with a Q&A session on Wednesday 28th February 2024. We would like to thank everyone who has shown an interest in our proposal and shared their valuable comments, suggestions and opinions with us.

You can find information on the scheme we consulted on in the proposal section and PDF copies of the consultation materials including a recording of the webinar is available in the downloads section.

BACKGROUND & LOCATION

Hubbles Farm is located to the south of the village of Pembury, between Hastings Road and the A21.

The site is bounded by agricultural land to the east, Pembury Cricket Ground to the west, and the Upper Church of St Peter’s cemetery to the north-west. The village centre is approximately 400 metres to the west along Hastings Road, and a post office is located across the road from the existing entrance to the site.

The site measures approximately 5.49 hectares/13.56 acres. Within the site there are numerous buildings, including 3 private dwellings and various facilities associated with the former equestrian centre. The site rises over 12 metres from the lowest point to the highest point along the southern boundary. Two Public Right of Way’s (PROW) run along the site edges. One (W239A) connects to Chalket Lane further to the west, and the other (W237) runs the length of the eastern edge of the site, connecting across the A21 further south and to Hastings Road to the north – both of these connect to the wider local Public Right of Way network.

Click the arrows below to scroll through the images:

  • Existing Public Right of Way's

    Existing Public Right of Way's

  • Main Farm Buildings

    Main Farm Buildings

  • Footpath running along southern boundary

    Footpath running along southern boundary

  • View of farm buildings from the south

    View of farm buildings from the south

  • Small Stable Block

    Small Stable Block

  • View Looking North towards Pembury

    View Looking North towards Pembury

Emerging Tunbridge Wells Local Plan

The emerging Tunbridge Wells Local Plan (2020 – 2038) – allocates the site for mixed-use residential-led development under Policy AL/PE 2. The proposed allocation makes provision for approximately 80 dwellings, with 40% being affordable and safeguarded land for the future expansion of the Pembury Cemetery.

The emerging Tunbridge Wells Local Plan is well advanced and is currently progressing through the ‘examination’ stage.The six-week public consultation on amendments following the inspectors initial finding report has concluded. The adoption of the Local Plan is expected towards the end of this year.

Tunbridge Wells Local Plan

Pembury Neighbourhood Development Plan

Development Plan

Following an independent examination, a referendum was held on 14th September 2023, where more than 50% of the votes cast were in favour of the Pembury Neighbourhood Development Plan being used by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to help it decide planning applications in the Pembury Neighbourhood Area. The Neighbourhood Development Plan was adopted on the 5th October 2023.

The Neighbourhood Development Plan includes the site for potential development, consistent with the emerging Tunbridge Wells Local Plan allocation.

KEY DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES

Key Development
Key Developments (click to enlarge)

To ensure the proposals are policy compliant, the following key principles have been considered as part of the design process at this stage:

  • Existing access point retained and improved to allow for safe movements in and out of the site.
  • Provision of undeveloped land for future extension of the cemetery.
  • A 40m landscape buffer between dwellings and the A21.
  • Connectivity from the site to existing PROW’s (Public Right of Way).
  • SuDS incorporated with a feature attenuation basin* located towards the lower end of the site.
  • Central public open space surround by dwellings, providing a pleasant outlook and natural surveillance.
  • Sensitive design to complement locally significant views.

* An attenuation basin is a pond which is designed to slow the passage of water from surface run-off to the ground/drainage system.

THE PLANNING PROCESS

In due course, we will be submitting an outline planning application for Hubbles Farm. We know that sometimes the planning process can be confusing, so we thought it might be helpful if we briefly explained the outline planning application process.

An Outline Planning permission establishes the principle of development subject to it meeting certain parameters. The detailed design will then need to adhere to the parameters approved and be subject to separate Reserved Matters approval at a later date. TWBC as the planning authority will therefore maintain control over any subsequent detailed design Reserved Matters application.

Our Outline Planning application will seek to agree the following parameters:

  • Maximum extent of developable footprint/no build zones
  • Maximum heights of buildings
  • Landscape and open space strategy and buffer zone
  • Density

Following approval of an Outline Planning consent, detailed design proposals (in compliance with the parameters) will be prepared and submitted, known as a Reserved Matters application for approval by the Council. The Reserved Matters application will cover the following elements in full detail:

Planning

Final Design
  • Site Layout
  • Massing
  • Scale
  • Appearance and materiality
  • Height
  • Boundary treatment e.g. fencing and lighting

Amenity
  • Car Parking
  • Cycle parking/storage
  • Bin storage/refuse strategy
  • Landscaping and open space/play area design
  • Detailed Access and street road design
  • Design of Pedestrian and cycle routes

EMERGING PROPOSAL

We are still in the early design stage, but this illustrative masterplan shows how we think the new homes, access routes and open and recreational spaces could be delivered on the site.

Exhibition
Illustrative Landscape Masterplan (click to enlarge)
  • Up to 103 new homes including housing for older people.
  • Up to 41 affordable homes.
  • Mix of 2-, 3- and 4- bedroom homes.
  • Policy compliant on-site car parking spaces, including reduced mobility spaces and visitor spaces (subject to a Reserved Matters application).
  • Predominately 2 storeys with some 2.5 storey buildings mainly located in the centre and north of the site.
  • Modern, energy and water efficient homes.
  • A mix of private gardens and amenity space for all homes.
  • Nearly half the site (2.13 hectares/5.26 acres) for open and recreational space, including a children’s play area and wildflower meadow.
  • A new east to west pedestrian and cycle route.
  • New footpaths linking to existing Public Right of Ways (PROW).
  • Retention of locally significant views.
  • Retention of boundary planting and existing protected tree.
  • Junction improvements including traffic calming proposals.
  • A significant landscape buffer and noise-reducing fencing between the new homes and the A21 where required.

The proposals have been developed to create an attractive and legible public realm. Buildings and spaces are designed to be respectful of their surroundings including established amenity, whilst ensuring that the proposal also delivers a sense of place, incorporates good design, and provides attractive and useable spaces supported by plentiful trees and new planting.

Click the arrows below to scroll through the images:

  • View From Site Entrance
  • Central-Green
  • View-towards-Pembury
  • ELEVATIONS FROM SOUTH TO NORTH – PLACEHOLDER/WIP
LANDSCAPE - GREEN SPACES, RECREATION AND ECOLOGY

Promoting healthy lifestyles and wellbeing through connection with nature are key drivers behind the proposed landscape design.

Thoughtfully designed open and recreational spaces will be featured across the site. In total, we are proposing approximately 2.13 hectares/5.26 acres of public open and recreational space.
Landscape Strategy
Illustrative Landscape Strategy Plan (click to enlarge)

  • Landscape Buffer Area – A broad landscaped corridor between the Public Footpath (along the southern boundary) and the new housing. Creating a new species-rich meadow with native hedgerows, with pedestrian footpaths connecting with the wider Rights of Way network.

  • Informal Open Space - Species-rich meadow with native hedgerows, strengthening the boundary with the cricket pitch and forming a new boundary between the open space and safe-guarded cemetery extension land.

  • Central Open Space A new landscaped sitting space and informal kickabout area.

  • Children’s Play Area – A ‘natural’ play area for 0-12 years with play equipment and natural play features, such as sandstone rocks.

  • Viewing Corridor – A new landscaped linear amenity space, to be largely open to retain the long vista from the higher southern site edge to the Greensand Ridge and Kent Downs AONB.

  • Entrance Boulevard – A tree-lined entrance boulevard, set in lawns with dense hedge planting to frame the entrance space.

Click the arrows below to scroll through the images:

  • Bee on a flower
  • Daisy Flower
  • Summer
  • Children Playing
  • Hedge
  • Hedge with trees
ACCESS AND TRANSPORT
Exhibition
Access and Transport Plan (click to enlarge)
Cycle path
Cycle Shelter
Indicative image of cycle storage. Copyright © 2024 Green Roof Shelters

Access

  • Access to the site will be through the existing site entrance via a new priority junction.
  • The existing site entrance will be widened through the demolition of No:32 Hastings Road, which is within the site development boundary and will allow additional space for emergency vehicles.
  • The junction onto Hastings Road has been designed with traffic calming proposals along Hastings Road and the High Street, which will reduce speeds to 20mph along this section of road
  • The new traffic calming scheme has been developed in compliance with the emerging TWLP site allocation and in line with KCC Highways requirements and a Road Safety Audit.

Cycle and Pedestrian Route

  • Working coherently with the neighbouring landowners, a pedestrian and cycle route is proposed to run east to west through the site. The route will start from the western end of the High Street, passing the village hall and connecting to Chalket Lane, running south of the cricket pitch to the site.

Footpath Links

  • New connections from the site to existing Public Right of Ways are proposed, with a potential western footpath link to the amenity space/cemetery.

Public Transport Links

  • Two existing bus stops, on Hastings Road provide good bus services to Maidstone, East Peckham, Tunbridge Wells, Tenterden, Cranbrook and Goudhurst.
  • Proposed relocation of the existing bus stops on Hastings Road to avoid conflict with the access to the site. These will be provided alongside potential parking restrictions to allow for safe operation of the bus services.

Parking

  • Parking will seek to reflect various design and policy guidance, including the emerging Local Plan Residential Parking Standards.
  • It is expected that a development of circa 100 units would need to provide circa 200 parking spaces including visitor parking spaces.
  • Cycle parking will also be provided in line with the adopted standards, with adequate parking provided for both residents and visitors.
DRAINAGE & FLOODING

Flood risk

  • The site is located entirely within Flood Zone 1, which is the most suitable zone for all development types in terms of fluvial flood risk.
  • The site is also at very low risk from all other potential sources of flooding – tidal, reservoir, surface water, groundwater and sewer.

Surface water drainage

  • Surface water disposal will be managed via SuDS (sustainable drainage systems) that will mimic the site’s existing, pre-development response to rainfall.
  • SuDS features will be designed to accommodate the design rainfall event (i.e. the 1 in 100 year event with an additional 40% allowance for climate change) to ensure flood risk will not increase either on-site or elsewhere because of the development.
  • Sufficient space for SuDS will be provided within the proposed masterplan.
  • Control measures to prevent pollution will be provided as part of a robust treatment train.

Foul water drainage

  • It is proposed that foul water that flows from the development will discharge via a new gravity network to the existing Southern Water combined sewer located within Hastings Road.
  • Current infrastructure charging arrangements mean that Southern Water is obliged to accept foul water flows generated by committed development and fund any network improvements that may be required to provide the necessary capacity via infrastructure charges received from the developer. As such, foul capacity should not be a constraint to development.
  • There will be no significant difficulty in connecting the new development to the existing foul water infrastructure.

SUSTAINABILITY

Our high sustainability standards ensure that the new homes and spaces we build today are fit for the future.

We will aim to achieve this through:

  • Water and energy efficient homes including the use of low and zero carbon technology e.g. solar panels and heat source pumps.
  • Provision of waste and recycling storage.
  • Secure cycle storage and routes to encourage alternative modes of transport.
  • Good levels of daylight/sunlight, air quality and acoustic performance.
  • Responsible sourcing of materials.
  • The management of waste sustainably and efficiently during construction.
  • Minimising surface water run-off and provision of SuDS
  • Biodiversity enhancements and a minimum 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) through soft landscaping and habitat enhancement throughout the Site
Sustainability
DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS
  • Provision of up to 103 new 2-, 3- and 4- bedroom homes- including 10% housing for older people.
  • Delivering much needed new affordable homes for the community- 40% policy compliant.
  • Easy access to green, public open spaces: Creating thoughtfully designed, green open and recreational spaces (circa 42% of overall site), including a children’s play area.
  • Promoting walking and cycling routes: Incorporating new pedestrian links to existing Public Right of Ways and a new, shared pedestrian and cycle route running east to west across the site.
  • Retaining locally significant views: Include panoramic views over Hubbles Farm, Pembury village and beyond.
  • Road junction improvements: Junction improvements, including traffic calming measures and a reduction of the speed limit to 20mph along Hastings Road and part of the High Street.
  • Minimising noise near the A21: Providing a significant landscape buffer along southern boundary. Noise reducing fencing and glazing provided where required.
  • Creation of a well-connected green network - promoting alternative modes of transport
  • Retention of boundary planting and existing protected trees.
  • Safeguarded land – provision of land for the future expansion of the cemetery.
  • Policy compliant car parking provision – including visitor and reduced mobility spaces
  • Achieving a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain.
  • Creating jobs for local businesses and people – during construction.
  • Supporting local businesses in Pembury.
  • A natural development of the village - avoiding sprawl, remaining close to the village centre and the existing settlement of Pembury.
  • New Home
  • Flowers
  • Old Couple
  • A dog walk
  • Butterfly

HAVE YOUR SAY

Our public consultation has now closed.

The planning application for the Land at Hubbles Farm has now been submitted to Royal Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils planning department.

We would like to thank everyone who has shown an interest in our proposal and shared their valuable comments, suggestions and opinions with us.

To view the application and read the detailed documents submitted with the planning application please visit Planning applications (tunbridgewells.gov.uk) using the reference number 24/02085/OUT.

TIMELINE

Throughout the pre-application planning programme, we will be in ongoing discussions with planning officers and stakeholders about our emerging ideas to develop the site.

The timings set out below are target dates and subject to change as we progress through the design and planning process.

  • Tuesday 27th February 2024Public exhibition and launch of consultation.
    Information shared at the public exhibition can be found here: download

  • Wednesday 28th February 2024 Live webinar with Q&A session.

    A recording of the webinar can be found here: download

  • Friday 15th March 2024 Consultation period closes.
  • August 2024Submission of planning application.
  • November/December 2024 Expected determination of planning application by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

DOWNLOADS

Q&A

As with any new development there are often lots of questions raised by the community. We will continue to add and answer any questions that arise during our consultation.

We are currently proposing that up to 103 new homes could be delivered on the site of which 40% will be affordable housing, compliant with planning policy. We are still in the early stages of the design process, so the proposed number of homes and affordable homes could be subject to change.

We are not proposing to build any bungalows on the site. However, there will be some homes that are smaller in size and/or more accessible and can be adapted to suit the individual health and mobility requirements for residents of all ages.

The existing site entrance will be widened through the demolition of No:32 Hastings Road, which is within the site development boundary and will allow additional space for two way car movements and emergency vehicles. The junction onto Hastings Road has been designed with traffic calming proposals along Hastings Road and the High Street, which will reduce speeds to 20mph along this section of road.

This will deliver a better environment for pedestrian and cyclists, a key aspiration of the emerging Local Plan and Pembury Neighbourhood Plan.

A noise study and a landscape assessment has been undertaken to inform the design of the landscape buffer area along the southern boundary of the site with the A21. The development has been carefully designed to mitigate any noise impact from the A21, which includes a significant landscaped buffer between the housing and the A21. Private gardens and amenity space are located behind buildings to the north, and noise reducing fencing and glazing provided where required.

The new houses will mainly be 2 storeys in height with a small number of 2.5 storey houses which will provide enclosure to the open spaces and variety in the townscape design. The taller buildings will be limited to the central and northern parts of the site away from higher ground to the south.

A Tree Survey has been undertaken and we will be retaining as many of the high-quality trees and hedgerows as possible. There is one tree that is subject to a Tree Protection Order (TPO) which will be retained. A detailed landscape and planting strategy will be devised to accommodate substantial soft landscaping, including trees, which will contribute to the setting of the development and deliver a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).

We are still in the early stages of the design process and as this will be an outline planning application, the exact number of parking spaces will not be confirmed at this stage. However, car parking will seek to reflect the relevant design and policy guidance, including as set out within the Council’s emerging Local Plan, and will be agreed with Kent County Council.

The exact number will be determined at Reserved Matters stage and will be policy compliant. It is expected that a development of circa 100 units would need to provide circa 200 parking spaces on site including visitor parking spaces.

There are numerous schools and nurseries in the Pembury area. However, Kent County Council will be consulted upon for any application and will assess the outline proposals and indicative unit mix against capacity and determine if the existing capacity is sufficient or if any financial contributions are required via a S106 legal agreement to enhance existing or provide new education services, including schools.

Affordable housing will be provided in line with a policy compliant 40% as set out within the Council’s emerging Local Plan. The emerging Local Plan also requires affordable housing to be applied with a “local connection cascade”, which will be determined on a case-by-case basis, but where it is generally prioritised to households with an established local connection to the parish or town through residence/work, then surrounding parishes and then wider. The delivery of affordable housing will be subject to discussions with the Council once the application is submitted and secured via a S106 legal agreement.

We are looking at reducing the density of some of the northwestern houses which back onto the existing properties, as well as creating deeper gardens to bring greater distance between the existing and proposed new homes. Additionally, two-storey houses are being proposed in this part of the site.

Some of these measures will be contained within the Outline Planning application. The Reserved Matters application will include further information on additional measures to mitigate any potential impacts on existing homes. Detailed design examples could include dropping the roofs and designing floorplans where there are no overlooking windows into opposite garden areas.

A certain number of visitor parking spaces for residents will be provided on the site. The final numbers will be reviewed to ensure sufficient visitor parking and reasonable overspill in surrounding streets are provided for.

Car headlights shining onto properties should not occur, as fencing and landscaping will be provided for along Hastings Road. Additionally, most of the houses are designed to back onto the existing houses, where car headlights should not be an occurrence. The designs will be reviewed to ensure this is mitigated, wherever possible.

The project team is liaising with the Council throughout the pre-planning and determination periods of the application. The application will be consulted on with statutory consultees, such as Kent County Council. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council will confirm financial contributions required by the developer towards infrastructure, such as roads, footpaths, schools, medical and health infrastructure. The whole host of obligations will form part of what is called a Section 106 agreement.

Handover normally takes place with the developer and house builder once the Outline Planning application has been approved by the Council. The house builder would then have to prepare and submit a Reserved Matters application to provide further information and details that are underpinned and supported by what has been previously approved in the Outline Planning application stage.

The Reserved Matters application will then be consulted on, and the Council will ultimately decide if those proposals have adhered to the design intent as originally proposed. If the Council believes that the development has changed significantly, they have the power to refuse the application. The Reserved Matters application would be determined by the same policies, guidelines and building regulations as the Outline Planning application.

The width of the entrance carriageway will be 5.5m, potentially narrowing slightly as it continues into the site, which will allow enough clearance for vehicles to pass. Kent County Council's design guidelines allow for carriageways to go down to 5.1m in width.

The design of the proposals are to be inclusive, underpinned by a place-based and open space approach that ensures accessibility to existing communities. The permeability of the design will allow pedestrians and cyclists to move through the site east to west, ensuring the site is open and accessible to everyone. The proposals will also provide much-needed new housing, including affordable homes for the community and housing for older people, create new jobs during construction and support local businesses in Pembury, such as shops and pubs. The proposals will also safeguard land for future expansion of the cemetery.

We will seek to minimise any potential impact on existing residents who park on Hastings Road. We have conducted parking surveys and are currently considering buildouts on Hastings Road. A build-out is a section of kerb or footway extended out into the carriageway on one side to narrow the road. These would help formalise the existing parking spaces into sections, allow for easier and safer pedestrian access to cross the road and have a traffic-calming effect as vehicles would need to slow down on the road.

Transport software is used to look at a number of different sites and calculate the number of trips per hour, per house. At peak time, we calculate that roughly 0.5 trips per house are taken. In other words, 100 houses would equate to 50 trips taken at peak time. Given that people normally leave in the morning and return in the evening, we would roughly see 50 trips leave the site and 50 trips back to the site.

During the day, we calculate that each house will produce approximately 5 trips per day. 100 houses would equate to 500 trips a day. We tend to model in peak hours to assess the ‘worst case scenario’ impacting the transportation network.

In terms of considering sites outside of the development, we assess different junctions and generally include developments that are likely to be coming forward within reasonable certainty. We also grow the base traffic we have surveyed, allowing us to assess future projections.

As the developer, we have an obligation to produce a Construction Management Plan, which will be submitted alongside other documents when we submit our Outline Planning application. This document will stipulate the specific times and routes construction vehicles are allowed to enter and leave the site. We will use the strategic network as far as possible to limit any impact on the local roads and residents.

Flooding has been scoped with National Highways to assess water discharged into the network. Further work will be required to determine flooding management and design.

The cycling network is a Kent County Council initiative, where conversations with landowners are currently being held to discuss opening this private road for public use, transforming the public footpath into a cycleway and further understanding what this would involve (e.g. upgrade surfaces and link to existing Public Right of Ways).

Yes. Indicative site elevations and section drawings for the northwestern part of the site will be prepared once the designs progress into greater detail ahead of the Outline Planning application submission. These will help assess the relationship between the new and existing houses, the relationship with the surrounding roads and consider improvements with the existing sloping topography.

The team has been discussing the proposals with neighbours and further conversations will take place as the plans progress and evolve ahead of the Outline Planning application submission.

Normal fences (1.5m-1.8m in height) with some hedging and landscaping will be incorporated for privacy purposes only. Anything higher than this would begin impacting light in neighbouring houses. This will be part of the ongoing conversations with residents where this might be a particular issue.

The overhead cable will not remain in its current form and will be diverted underground, most likely by the boundary of the site.

As part of the Outline Planning application submission, a series of indicative site sections and street scene drawings will be provided once the designs are finalised will be provided to demonstrate how the development is likely to appear across the site. A Design and Access Statement will also be submitted as part of the application.

Yes. As part of the Outline Planning application, a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) will be submitted. This will outline in detail the full stakeholder and community engagement process, feedback and design responses based on the feedback and engagement process.

Given the consultation undertaken and feedback received to date, it is likely that the number of homes may be reduced on the site. We will review the proposed number of homes and clearly set this in the Outline Planning application, once submitted.

The design of the proposals are to be inclusive, underpinned by a place-based and open space approach that ensures accessibility to existing communities.

The NPPF (December 2023 revision) Glossary definition of affordable housing for planning purposes is: “housing for sale or rent, for those whose needs are not met by the market (including housing that provides a subsidised route to home ownership and/or is for essential local workers); and which complies with one or more of the following definitions:

Affordable housing for rent: meets all of the following conditions: (a) the rent is set in accordance with the Government’s rent policy for Social Rent or Affordable Rent, or is at least 20% below local market rents (including service charges where applicable); (b) the landlord is a registered provider; and (c) it includes provisions to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households, or for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision.

Starter homes/First homes scheme: The First Homes scheme allows first-time buyers, with an income of no more than £80,000 a year before tax, to buy a new-build home for at least 30% less than its market value. A First Time home outside of London cannot cost more than £250,000 after the discount has been applied.

Discounted market sales housing: Is that sold at a discount of at least 20% below local market value. Eligibility is determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices. Provisions should be in place to ensure housing remains at a discount for future eligible households.

Other affordable routes to home ownership: Is housing provided for sale that provides a route to ownership for those who could not achieve home ownership through the market. It includes shared ownership, relevant equity loans, other low cost homes for sale (at a price equivalent to at least 20% below local market value) and rent to buy (which includes a period of intermediate rent). Where public grant funding is provided, there should be provisions for the homes to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households, or for any receipts to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision or refunded to Government or the relevant authority specified in the funding agreement."

A certain number of visitor parking spaces for residents will be provided on the site. The final numbers will be reviewed to ensure sufficient visitor parking and to prevent overspill into the surrounding streets.

As this is an outline planning application, we are not able to answer this question. If and when these homes are built the sales prices will be relevant to the market value at the time of sale.

There will be no access from the A21 to the site. This is due to the level changes, there is a steep gradient up to the A21 which would be unsafe for access. Additionally, the road infrastructure required to ensure safe access would be material and result in a large land take, possibly beyond that which the site can provide. It is unlikely that National Highways would support this in any event. The proposed access works to Hastings Road, including speed reduction proposals, will ensure safe and sufficient access to users.

The current proposals make provision for a ‘natural’ play area for 0-12 years with play equipment and natural play features. Providing proposed new connections from the site to the Public Right of Way's and a proposed new cycle and pedestrian route - working with the neighbouring landowners at the adjacent sites which are also allocated for housing development within the emerging Tunbridge Wells Local Plan - to run east to west through the site, will encourage exercise for all age groups and sustainable transport initiatives.

It is proposed that the play area will be maintained by a site management company, instructed by the housebuilder who will deliver the housing. There will be no cost implications for the management of the proposed play area to the wider community.

If outline planning consent is granted, the Council will require submission of a Construction Management Plan through either planning condition or S106 legal agreement obligation. This document will stipulate the specific times and routes construction vehicles are allowed to enter and leave the site and will set out areas and management for onsite deliveries and parking and how contractors will be encouraged to use public transport, walking and cycling where possible. We will use the strategic network as far as possible to limit any impact on the local roads and residents and offsite parking for contractors will not be permitted.

Once the application is submitted, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council will review the proposals and consult with Kent County Council who will also assess the development proposals in relation to infrastructure requirements and existing capacity. Financial contributions required by the developer towards infrastructure will then be agreed with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and Kent County Council. The whole host of financial and non-financial obligations will form part of what is called a Section 106 legal agreement, which will secure delivery from the developer. At this stage, we cannot confirm what contributions will be required and/or where they will be spent, as the consultation with the Borough and County Council has not yet taken place but they could include contributions towards roads, footpaths, schools, open space and recreation, medical and health infrastructure.

Contact Us

Thank you for taking the time to visit our website today.

  • If you want to chat to someone, give us a call: 020 7446 6837 (from 9.30am to 5.00pm, Mon-Fri)
  • If you would prefer to put pen to paper: Hubbles Farm Community Engagement Team,
    C/O Stantec,
    7 Soho Square,
    London.
    W1D 3QB

The planning application for the Land at Hubbles Farm has now been submitted to Royal Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils planning department.

To view the application please visit: Planning applications (tunbridgewells.gov.uk) using the reference number 24/02085/OUT.

We would like to thank everyone who has shown an interest in our proposal and shared their valuable comments, suggestions and opinions with us.

The information and material on this website relates to the pre-application consultation period which was held between February 2024 to the end of March 2024 and will remain accessible until the planning application has been determined.

We take data protection seriously. Please only provide your personal details if you are willing for them to be used by Stantec and the project team for the purpose of research in connection with this project and in order to update you on the progress of the project. All comments received may be anonymised and included within our planning application submission. Your details will be treated as confidential and will not be shared, passed on or used by any third parties and they will only be retained until the end of the planning process for the project, after which time they will be deleted. If you wish to withdraw consent to the processing of your personal data, you may do so by emailing: hubblesfarmpembury@stantec.com

We take data protection seriously. Please only provide your personal details if you are willing for them to be used by Stantec and the project team for the purpose of research in connection with this project and in order to update you on the progress of the project. All comments received may be anonymised and included within our planning application submission. Your details will be treated as confidential and will not be shared, passed on or used by any third parties and they will only be retained until the end of the planning process for the project, after which time they will be deleted. If you wish to withdraw consent to the processing of your personal data, you may do so by emailing: hubblesfarmpembury@stantec.com