Urgent Local Plan meeting for Holborough Lakes residents
Monday 28 September at 8pm, Holborough Lakes Village Hall
The Tonbridge and Malling Local Plan has now reached a critical stage, with proposals that could have a significant and lasting impact on Holborough Lakes, Snodland and the surrounding area.
Councillor Matt Boughton, Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, has agreed to hold a further meeting specifically for Holborough Lakes residents.
The meeting will give residents an opportunity to hear directly from Matt about:
where the Local Plan process has now reached;
what has changed since the previous consultation;
what the latest proposals could mean for Holborough Lakes and the surrounding area;
what happens next;
how residents can make a formal response; and
the questions and concerns residents want to raise directly with the council.
We appreciate that this meeting has been arranged at short notice. However, the Regulation 19 consultation is already underway and there is only a limited period in which residents can formally comment. We therefore strongly encourage residents to make time to attend.
Why does the Local Plan matter?
A Local Plan is one of the most important documents produced by a local authority.
It sets out how an area is expected to develop over a number of years, including where new housing, employment space and other development may be located. It also contains the planning policies that will be used when future planning applications are considered.
Once adopted, the Local Plan will become a principal consideration when Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council decides whether planning applications should be approved or refused.
The plan is not only about the number of new homes. It should also consider the infrastructure and services needed to support development, including:
roads, junctions and public transport;
schools and childcare provision;
GP surgeries and other health services;
drainage, water supply and flood risk;
local employment;
public open space;
ecology and wildlife;
air quality and the wider environment; and
the effect of development on existing communities.
The Local Plan is intended to guide development through to 2042. The decisions being made now could therefore influence Holborough Lakes and the surrounding area for many years.
What was previously proposed around Holborough Lakes and Snodland?
When Matt Boughton met with local residents during the earlier Regulation 18 consultation, his presentation explained the background to the Local Plan and identified the sites then being considered around Snodland.
The largest local proposal was identified as SN1 – Holborough Lakes, with an indicative allocation of approximately 1,300 homes.
The presentation highlighted a number of important considerations connected with that site, including:
its location adjacent to the existing settlement;
the existing cement works planning permission;
areas of Grade 2 and Grade 3a agricultural land;
the need for a buffer around an oil pipeline;
its proximity to a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation;
its relationship with the Kent Downs National Landscape;
Green Belt land;
the fact that part of the wider site crosses into the Medway authority area; and
the proposal for a substantial area of publicly accessible semi-natural open space.
The earlier consultation also identified a proposed employment site, known as E7, involving approximately 3,000 square metres of employment floorspace. Issues identified in relation to that site included agricultural land, Green Belt, priority habitat, the setting of the National Landscape, minerals safeguarding and the effect of electricity pylons on its design.
Other sites had been submitted for consideration but were not recommended for inclusion at that stage. These included land at Oast Park, Birling, where concerns included priority habitat, Green Belt, the National Landscape, public rights of way and its distance from the existing Snodland settlement boundary.
These details came from the previous Regulation 18 proposals. The Local Plan has since moved forward, and residents now need to understand what has changed, what remains in the plan and whether the concerns previously raised have been properly addressed.
That is one of the main reasons for arranging this further meeting.
What has happened since the previous meeting?
Regulation 18 was an earlier consultation stage during which the council sought views on its emerging strategy, proposed development sites and draft policies.
Following that consultation, the council reviewed the responses it received, considered additional evidence and carried out further work on matters such as infrastructure, transport, the environment and the deliverability of proposed development sites.
The plan has now reached Regulation 19, which is a much more advanced stage.
Regulation 19 is effectively the final formal consultation before the Local Plan and the representations received are submitted to the Government for independent examination by a Planning Inspector.
This means the present consultation is not simply another general survey about whether residents like or dislike a proposal. Formal representations should explain why a particular part of the plan is, or is not:
legally compliant;
supported by appropriate evidence;
justified when compared with reasonable alternatives;
realistically capable of being delivered;
consistent with national planning policy; and
effective in dealing with matters that may cross local authority boundaries.
The process and terminology can feel complicated. The meeting is intended to help residents understand what these tests mean in practice and how to make their comments as clear and effective as possible.
Questions residents may wish to consider
Residents will naturally have different priorities, but areas that may warrant discussion include:
What is now proposed for the SN1 Holborough Lakes site?
Has the proposed number of homes changed?
What has changed since the Regulation 18 consultation?
How have residents’ earlier comments been considered?
What transport modelling has been carried out?
How would additional traffic affect Holborough Lakes, Snodland and surrounding roads?
What improvements to roads, junctions and public transport would be required?
How would schools, GP services and other local facilities accommodate further growth?
What infrastructure would have to be provided, who would fund it and when would it be delivered?
How have ecological designations and nearby protected habitats been considered?
What are the implications for Green Belt and agricultural land?
How would drainage, water supply, wastewater capacity and flood risk be managed?
How would development spanning both Tonbridge and Malling and Medway be coordinated?
What publicly accessible open space is proposed and how would it be protected and maintained?
What evidence supports the conclusion that the proposed development is deliverable?
What alternatives were considered?
How can residents make a formal Regulation 19 representation that will be considered by the Planning Inspector?
You do not need to be a planning expert to attend or ask a question.
Why individual responses are important
The Residents Association can raise community-wide concerns, but this does not replace the importance of residents submitting their own representations.
A large number of identical responses will not automatically carry more weight simply because of the number received. However, individual representations can be particularly valuable when residents explain their concerns clearly, relate them to the plan and its supporting evidence, and describe the practical implications for the local area.
Comments can be strengthened by referring to specific matters such as:
road and junction capacity;
public transport;
pedestrian and cycling connections;
school and healthcare capacity;
drainage and flooding;
water and wastewater infrastructure;
ecology and protected habitats;
landscape impact;
air quality;
the timing and funding of infrastructure;
whether the proposals are realistically deliverable; and
whether reasonable alternatives have been properly assessed.
The council’s consultation documents and supporting evidence can be extensive. Matt’s meeting should help residents understand where to look, what matters at this stage and how to submit a relevant response.
Please make time to attend
This is an important opportunity to hear directly from the Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, ask questions and understand how decisions about the future of our area are being made.
Even if you responded during the previous consultation, you should not assume that your earlier comments will automatically co
unt as a Regulation 19 representation. Residents should review the latest proposals and decide whether they need to respond again.
Meeting details
Date: Monday 28 September 2026Time: 8pmLocation: Holborough Lakes Village Hall
The Regulation 19 consultation is due to close at 11:59pm on Sunday 25 October 2026.
We know this meeting is being held at short notice, but time is now limited. Please attend if you can, bring your questions and encourage neighbours who may be affected to come along.
This is the point at which residents need to understand the proposals, raise their concerns and make sure their voices are formally heard.
Further information
Residents can read the latest information and consultation updates on the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council website:
