Plans to regenerate Royal Victoria Place in Tunbridge Wells are moving towards their next milestone, following an extensive programme of public engagement and communications delivered by Redwood on behalf of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and its asset manager, RivingtonHark.
Over the past 18 months, Redwood has supported the project team in understanding local priorities, explaining the emerging proposals and providing opportunities for residents, businesses and stakeholders across the borough to help shape the centre’s future.
Across successive rounds of engagement, in which over 3,500 pieces of feedback were received, Redwood’s work has included surveys, public exhibitions, drop-in sessions and stakeholder workshops, supported by media relations, social media content and newsletters to keep audiences informed as the plans develop.
The programme has helped establish a clear picture of what people want from their town centre. In the most recent consultation, 72.6% of survey respondents supported the proposals.
This feedback has informed plans to strengthen Royal Victoria Place’s retail offer and introduce new leisure and dining uses, creating a destination that supports the wider town centre throughout the day and evening.
Proposals to refurbish Palm Court will now go to Full Council for a final approval decision on 11 November. The plans, designed by Leslie Jones Architecture, include a more energy-efficient roof, improved retail units, a refurbished central atrium, more accessible toilets and the potential to create up to 22,000 sq ft of retail, dining or community leisure space in the former food court.
Alongside this, the project team is preparing to submit a planning application for Ely Court by the end of the year. The proposals would introduce a three-screen boutique cinema above five family-focused restaurant units, alongside improvements to public spaces, while retaining the distinctive Friendly Societies Building frontage on Camden Road.
Redwood’s role has been to make this evolving project accessible to the people it will affect: explaining the proposals, encouraging participation and helping the team understand and respond to feedback. As the plans move towards their next stage, clear communications will remain central to keeping communities informed about what is proposed, how it has developed and what happens next.
