Southborough and High Brooms
Neighbourhood Development Plan
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Update – September 2025
The Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Development Plan is being prepared by Southborough Town Council.
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A Steering Group comprising local councillors and volunteers from the community was set up to lead the project on behalf of the Town Council.
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We want to let residents know what’s happening with the Southborough and High Brooms Neighbourhood Plan.
Following conclusion of the Regulation 16 Consultation in July 2025, the Neighbourhood Plan was passed on to the independent examiner, Andrew Ashcroft.
While the examination has progressed as planned to date, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and Southborough Town Council have agreed with the independent examiner to pause the examination process for now. This is because the Borough’s new Local Plan, which sets the overall planning policies for the area, is expected to be adopted by the end of this year.
Waiting until the Local Plan is finalised means our Neighbourhood Plan can be assessed against the most up-to-date strategic development policies. This helps avoid any confusion with older documents and makes sure the Neighbourhood Plan works smoothly alongside the Borough’s wider planning framework.
As soon as the Borough Council receives the Inspector’s final report on the Local Plan, it will be published on the Council’s Local Plan website, along with a timeline for adoption. The Neighbourhood Plan examiner will then complete his report as quickly as possible, with checks carried out by both the Borough and Town Councils. Assuming the examination is successful, residents will then have the chance to vote in a Referendum to decide whether to adopt the Neighbourhood Plan. This is expected to take place around the middle of 2026.
Documents
Neighbourhood Development Plan 2024-2038
Supporting Evidence
Thank you for your patience as we take these important regulatory steps to ensure our Neighbourhood Plan is clear, up-to-date, and ready to guide future development in our community.
The Borough’s official statement on this can be found on their Southborough Neighbourhood Plan page
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For further information please email us at shbndp@gmail.com