Petition Against Current Hub Plans Reaches 1,000 signatures: Local Priest says “pay attention”

The electronic petition that was started a week ago under the title "Southborough Deserves Better" calling for the current Hub designs to be scrapped reached 1,000 supporters on Sunday, only a week after its launch. The evidence of continuing dissatisfaction with the Southborough Town Council project prompted the Priest in Charge at St Thomas's Church …

Continue reading Petition Against Current Hub Plans Reaches 1,000 signatures: Local Priest says “pay attention”

“Heritage Asset” Status awarded to Royal Victoria Hall – But Only Just

Tunbridge Wells Planning officials have agreed that the heritage value of the Royal Victoria Hall should be taken into account in the forthcoming decision on whether to demolish it - a decision likely to welcomed by groups hoping to save the building. Previously the Borough Council did not have the ability to give any weight to the …

Continue reading “Heritage Asset” Status awarded to Royal Victoria Hall – But Only Just

Soccer Club on Ridgewaye says Trust in Hub Project Team “Has Evaporated”

The Secretary of the football club that uses Southborough's Ridgewaye fields has said that the latest hub development plans for the area are "very very disappointing." Club Secretary Colin Niccolls said that trust between the soccer club and the Hub project team "has evaporated" and he has been "very frustrated" by the way the facilities …

Continue reading Soccer Club on Ridgewaye says Trust in Hub Project Team “Has Evaporated”

“Backstage” Pictures Reveal Secrets of Condemned Royal Victoria Hall amid New Delay to Planning Verdict

The long awaited verdict from the planners at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on whether to approve the demolition of the 116 year old Royal Victoria Hall and its replacement with the new Southborough Hub appears to have been delayed again. The agenda for this month's Planning Committee (next Wednesday 19th October) doesn't include a vote …

Continue reading “Backstage” Pictures Reveal Secrets of Condemned Royal Victoria Hall amid New Delay to Planning Verdict

84% of Planning Comments Still Oppose Hub Plans

As of Sunday 9th October, I have calculated that there were 29 supporters and 158 opponents of the Hub planning application from named individuals or organisations visible on the Tunbridge Wells planning website.  There was one neutral comment. This means 84 per cent of comments were opposed. The people of Southborough now wait to see …

Continue reading 84% of Planning Comments Still Oppose Hub Plans

Tunbridge Wells Theatre Boss Calls For Old Southborough Theatre to be Demolished

In an intervention that has angered members of the Southborough theatre community, the Executive Director of Tunbridge Wells Trinity Theatre, Alex Green, has said the Royal Victoria Hall should be demolished. The Trinity Theatre has received hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money in recent decades to convert a church into a theatre. It employs full …

Continue reading Tunbridge Wells Theatre Boss Calls For Old Southborough Theatre to be Demolished