The planning team in Tunbridge Wells says it would welcome the public providing evidence of the historical value of the Royal Victoria Hall.

Currently, the Hall, which opened in 1900, is deemed by the planners to have no historic value at all, as it is not on the list of the Borough’s Local Heritage Assets.

But English Heritage, which believes the building is not of national importance, has issued a report stating that the Royal Victoria Hall is “undoubtedly of local historic interest”.

So the Tunbridge Wells Conservation Officer, Mark Stephenson, has said this could lead to the Hall being added to the Local Heritage Asset list if there was enough evidence submitted by the public to the planning consultation in the next few days of the Hall having been important in Southborough’s history.

The relevant page on planning is:

http://www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/residents/planning/conservation-and-heritage/local-heritage-assets

However, Mark Stephenson stressed that being placed on the Local Heritage Asset list wouldn’t guarantee any particular result in the planning decision.  It would simply mean the planners would have to weigh up the loss of a heritage asset against the value of a new building.

Meanwhile, the deadline for submissions is Friday 23rd September and there are still only a trickle of comments in support or against the massive “Hub” development plan, costing tens of millions of pounds.