Policy information sourced from Tonbridge Central Area Action Plan

TCA1 Quality of Development

Development within the Central Area of Tonbridge, will be required to satisfy the following requirements:

  • on sites adjoining the River Medway, or its tributaries, proposals must positively address the water, to include the location of doors and entrances, principal windows, shop fronts, balconies or other features, and allow for unrestricted public access to the waterside through the provision of pedestrian and cycle links and enhancements to the public realm;
  • proposals must provide a well designed, animated frontage adjoining all streets, squares, bridges, gateways and other public spaces through the location of doors and entrances, principal windows, shop fronts (or shop window displays where non-retail uses are accepted in retail units), balconies or other features, providing a clear definition, but seamless character between public and private space;
  • proposals must make provision for, or not prejudice the provision of, a connected network of streets, footpaths and cyclepaths, which is integrated within the existing street network, giving priority to pedestrians through the design and layout of all routes, width of pavements and positioning of crossings, and permitting appropriate access for service and emergency vehicles;
  • car, motorcycle and bicycle parking provision must be integrated into the design and layout of development, and minimise visual impact within the public realm;
  • the design of development, encompassing scale, layout, site coverage, and orientation of buildings, external appearance, roofscape (including any necessary provision for the screening of service plant), materials and hard and soft landscape, must respect the context of the site and the character of the part of the Town Centre within which it is located, especially when viewed from the Castle and from high view points to the south of the Town Centre, and facilitate the proper use of CCTV; and
  • a mix of land uses will be sought on individual sites where consistent with other policies in the plan, but regard should be had to the compatibility of neighbouring uses. New development should not cause harm to the amenities or character of the area in terms of noise, vibration, smell, safety or health, traffic or other impacts.

For more information please see the Central Area Action Plan