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 what the recommendation to councillors will be from the professional planning officers at Tunbridge Wells.  The date of the decision by councillors is still to be announced. It is expected in the next few weeks.

The full comments are available elsewhere on this blog, but I have summarised them below, with contributors organised in alphabetical order by surname.

SUPPORTERS – 29

Mrs Jean	Allanach	Grimsby	Some of the design is not to my taste
Cllr Bob	Backhouse (Con)	T Wells	RVH is not fit for 21st century while hub will provide a much needed focus for civic purposes
Alan	Collins	Sboro	Hub will provide improved modern facilities
Cllr David	Elliot (Con)	Sboro	Currently mayor of Sboro – will put heart back into town and improve its appearance
Alex	Green (Trinity Theatre)	T Wells	RVH would need significant upgrades to provide a venue of standard area deserves so redevelop
Cllr Nasir	Jamil (Con)	Sboro	We get a brand new state of the art theatre
Jacqueline	Jedrzejewski	Sboro	Hub will be the envy of other towns
Ian	Kinghorn	Sboro	Can’t wait for heart to be put back in town. We need new hall for non-theatre groups as used to happen in RVH
Olwyn	Kinghorn (Southboro Society committee)	Sboro	Loss of RVH offset by exciting community centre We hope for museum space in new hub
Benjamin	Lester	Sboro	Saddening that RVH ends but need sth new
Sarah	Lester	Sboro	Welcome plan to revitalise high street
Cllr Glenn	Lester (Con)	Sboro	Building is wonderful opportunity for Sboro
Cllr Mrs Leah	Markwell (Con)	Sboro	Football players will still have plenty of pitches
David	Marshall	T Wells	I am a patient at St Andrews medical centre and it needs a bigger building
Neil	Maxfield	Sboro	Object to theatre being included
Lindy	Maxfield	Sboro	Hub access is badly planned but supports Hub
Judith	Mitchell	Smarden	Hub will put heart back into Sboro
Gary	Mitchell	Smarden	Owns Sboro shops – Hub is truly visionary
Ms Nikita	Oakford	Sboro	Hub is a wonderful, new & exciting development
Mrs Sharon	Oakford	Sboro	Hub will be great asset & meeting place
Cllr Peter	Oakford (Con)	Sboro	Hub vibrant focal point & fabulous design
Jacqueline	Prance	Sboro	Hub provides much needed focal point
Judy	Rose	Sboro	Sboro in need of a facelift Hub achieves this
Mike	Scott	Sboro	RVH is unloved and underused hall
Mrs Tanya	Shaw (St Andrew’s Medical Centre)	Sboro	Hub will provide a bigger medical centre for our patients
Mrs Shahanara	Uddin	Sboro	Area needs investment for regeneration
Cllr Zulhash	Uddin (Con)	Sboro	Housing should be sympathetic to area
Rachel	Wilson (vicar St Thomas’ Church)	Sboro	Hub has potential to improve social cohesion but residents’ concerns need to be addressed
Jennifer	Wright	Sboro	Wants theatre but worried about parking/noise

NEUTRAL – 1

Simon

Miller

Sboro

Saddened to hear about loss of soccer pitches

OPPONENTS – 158

Sharon	Acton (Sboro Brownies)	Sboro	Our brownie unit have missed panto
Mark	Airey	Paddock Wd	My online petition had 5,000 signatures to save RVH–no mandate to demolish historic RVH
Jon	Alcock	Sboro	Hub is badly designed box– seats don’t face stage
Pauline	Alexander	Sboro	RVH is a Heritage Asset
Steve	Allan	Sboro	RVH has been jewel in the Sboro crown – no need for another community space
Barbara	Anderson	?? *	RVH is a treasure in the community
Sally	Angell	Sboro	I live in Hythe Close – Hub is in my back yard – its design would make me ashamed and embarrassed to live in Sboro
Mrs Teresa	Baldock	Crowborough	RVH is a piece of history – listen to people
Mary	Banks-Murayama	Sboro	Majority of residents want RVH renovated
Ian	Barker	Sboro	RVH is building of great historical interest
Mrs Leonie	Barker	Sboro	Hub is not viable as a hall, let alone a theatre
Margaret	Barnes	Sboro	People in Sboro are horrified at dreadful hub
Joanna	Bell	Sboro	Please don’t destroy this historic venue
Amelia	Bell-Richards	Tonbridge*	Air pollution will worsen for my auntie
Letita	Bell-Richards	Tun Wells	Object to historic heritage being torn down
Keith	Bennett	T Wells	Keep historic amenity given by Salomons
Mrs Judi	Best	T Wells	Preserve RVH as a community historic asset
Gwendoline	Betts	Sboro	Prefer to keep RVH – new build doesn’t fit
Martin	Betts	Sboro	Hub is totally inappropriate in style
Miss Rebecca	Bing	Tonbridge*	RVH is heritage and a great venue; Hub hideous
Richard	Blackwell	Romney Marsh*	Former Sboro mayor who served on council for 31 years. Hub design is “a large plastic lunch box” dropped in the middle of our town.
Mrs Diana C	Blackwell	Romney Marsh*	Hub design is an “eyesore”
Ms Diana	Blackwell	Sboro	Hub design is not in keeping with street scene
Cllr Nicholas	Blackwell (Labour)	Sboro	Was mayor when hub tentatively first agreed, it is untrue that RVH is not fit for purpose – RVH is structurally sound & rewired recently
Cllr Fiona	Brown (Labour)	Sboro	As Head of a Drama college, thinks hub space falls far short of “state of the art” theatre
Tamsin	Brownbridge	T Wells	Hub is a disaster waiting to happen
Sylvia	Browning	Hounslow	We deplore demolition without reason
Laurie	Buckingham	Wadhurst	RVH is a gem of Victoriana
Chloe	Byrne	Sboro	Shocked and appalled at monstrosity
David	Byrne	Sboro	Looks laughably cheap and ugly
Jane	Carden	Sboro	RVH is an iconic landmark
Judy	Cave	Sboro	Hub is expensive modern monstrosity
Mr Leigh	Chatfield	Sboro	Objects due to loss of football pitches
Sophie	Chatfield	Sboro	Preserve RVH for future generations
Sarah	Clark	Cranbrook*	RVH should be renovated
Jeremy	Clarke	Sboro	RVH should be restored as part of hub
Charmain	Clissold-Jones	T Wells	Hub is shoddy design
Ms Dominique	Clothier	Sboro	New modern hub will accelerate decline of Sboro
Mrs Katrina	Clucas	Sboro	Hub is out of character of Sboro buildings
John	Clucas	Sboro	Hub is severely detrimental to local area
John	Cole	Ramsgate	RVH is part of rich architectural tradition
Alastair	Collie	Sboro	Hub is not promised “state of the art” theatre
Dr Arthur	Cottingham	Groombridge*	Hub is crazy thinking
Mrs Wil	Crittenden	Sboro	Hub looks like sea front kiosk
Robert	Darling	T Wells	RVH is an historic building
Angela	Dewar	Sboro	Ugly hub design is extremely distressing
Michael	Di Palma	T Wells	Losing 15% of playing fields not acceptable
Mrs Keren	Dibbens-Wyatt	Sboro	Not enough consultation on library
Jane	Dury	Sboro	Hub building is totally inappropriate
Mrs Rona	Dury	Sboro	Hub design is out of character
Brian	Dury	Sboro	Hub is poor design & out of character in town
Brian	Dury (Southboro Environmental Action Movement- 477 supporters)	Sboro	Hub project team have not listened to concerns. There is no state of the art theatre as was promised. Polycarbonate box is awful. Totally inappropriate. Over development on fields.
Ms Adele	Ebbage	T Wells*	Hub does not reflect the character of Sboro – volunteers have offered to maintain RVH
Tony	Egan	Pembury	New hall in the planned hub lacks many key features of existing RVH; hub will be eyesore
Graham	Ellis	Sboro	Lack of parking and loss of soccer pitch
Mrs Lisa	Everett	T Wells	Cheaper to refurbish RVH than build hub
Max	Figgett	Tun Wells	Hub design clumsy; robbing us of soccer pitches
RJ	Fitz-Gerald	Sboro	I despair and it makes me think long and hard about whether I will continue growing my business in Southborough
John	Francis	Sboro	Loss of soccer pitches for children
Gina	Franks	Speldhurst*	Hub hall/theatre is not fit for purpose
Mr Sascha	Fromeyer	Sboro	Hub will worsen existing traffic problems
Mrs Katharine	Fromeyer	Sboro	Hub would encourage anti-social behaviour
Ian	Gavin	Sboro	Planning process has not been transparent
Hannah	Glenville	Sboro	Will cast shadows over my garden
Matthew	Glenville	Sboro	Traffic problems due to 69 housing units
Sarah	Glover	Devon*	RVH is a fantastic place to perform as I did
Mrs Shelly	Goldring	Soaks	Hub design not in keeping
Lynn	Green	Sboro	Don’t think Sboro needs a theatre
Rhiannon	Grundy	Sboro	Historic theatre cannot be simply demolished
Ken	Hampton	Sboro	Hub theatre has not enough facilities
Brian	Hampton	Sboro	Hub is not a “state of the art” theatre
Mrs E	Harris	T Wells	RVH is an historical jewel
Philip	Harris	Sboro	Loss of parking for allotment holders
Miss Carys	Hatcher	Sboro	Hub is overdevelopment will be an eyesore
Ms Cheryl	Hatcher	Sboro	New housing will overlook my home
Ms Liz	Hatherell	Sboro	Hub is hideously ugly & out of keeping
Wiz	Haynes	Sboro	Noone trusts the council
Anya	Heilpern	Sboro	Hub is incompatible with planning policy EN1 which demands respect for “context of site”
Andy	Hennah	Sboro	Hub is not in keeping with Sboro architecture
Tabitha	Hennah	Sboro	Designs not in keeping with vicinity
Adam	Henry	Sboro	Loss of two 7-side & 11-side soccer pitches
Cllr Diane	Hill (Labour)	Sboro	I was elected to Borough Council in May with 52% of vote after I campaigned to keep RVH
Derek	Holland	Mayfield*	“superb theare” will be lost
Lucy	Ireland	Sboro	RVH is last heritage building on London Road
Paul	Isaacs	Kent	Why lose following of RVH?
Lucy	Jarrett	Pembury	The proscenium arch in RVH is very rare – dreams have been realised within walls of RVH
Trevor	Jary	Surrey	Historical sacrilege & loss to young people
Anna	Jones	Sboro	Refurbishing existing RVH is far better
Sarah	Jones	Sboro	As professional access consultant, plans have poorly written Design & Access Statement
Mrs Susie	Joyce	W Malling*	Hub is a monster that sounds vicious & cruel
Tun Wells	Labour Party	T Wells	Represents 800 members in TW constituency – Hub has little beauty & is not fit for purpose
Southboro & High Brooms	Labour Party (100 members)	Sboro	RVH is town heritage building and should be renovated and modernised sympathetically
Dinah	Lampitt	Battle*	RVH is a magnificent building
Dave	Leech	T Wells	RVH should be restored not destroyed
Jacky	Leman	Matfield	Hub is totally out of character for Sboro
Joanna	Lewin	T Wells	Save the RVH
Alain	Lewis	Sboro	Modernising RVH is cheaper than new build
Peter	Lewtas	T Wells	Hub is cultural vandalism – RVH is historic
William	MacDougal	Sboro	Poor quality hub – theatre design faulty
John	Manthorpe	Uckfield	RVH should be cherished
Coral	Martin	Sboro	My sons play football at Ridgewaye fields
Miss Eloise	Martin	Sboro	Wants to keep library & beautiful historic RVH
Ms Claire	Martin	Sboro	Hub fills me with dread – restore RVH instead
Ross	McPherson	Staplehurst*	Reconsider this preposterous plan
Miss Catherine	Meade	Sboro	Hub design is completely out of keeping
Richard	Millett	Hildenboro	Hub makes me question my decision to move to Sboro – after BREXIT, TWEXIT moment?
Melanie	Morris	Sboro	Hub will be an embarrassment to us all
Mrs Lindsey	Morris	Tonbridge	RVH is much loved & historic building
Cllr Graham	Munn (Labour)	Sboro	Polycarbonate cladding will look shoddy –bats live around buildings to be demolished
Merlyn	Neve	Sboro	RVH could be refurbished and modernised
Paul	Newton	Sboro	Loss of football pitches and green space
Will	Northcote	Sboro	Loss of 3 soccer pitches unnecessary – council could instead use funds from sale of Speldhurst allotments – Hub is worst of modern architecture
Enrique	Novella	Sboro	Highly unlikely that hub theatre will work
Eleanor	O’Shea	Sboro	Restore RVH to its original splendour
Dominic	Offord	Sboro	RVH is piece of British cultural history -my child cried when heard council were bulldozing it
Rebecca	Offord	Sboro	Hub will be less economically viable than RVH
Andrew	Perkins	T Wells	Loss of soccer pitches
Kathleen	Perkins	T Wells	Loss of football pitches
Helen	Phillimore	T Wells	Not all can afford the Assembly Hall prices
John	Phillimore	T Wells	This is an historic town – keep history
William	Phillimore	T Wells	Save the RVH
Andrew	Phillimore	T Wells	Enjoyed productions at RVH
David	Podbury	T Wells	Hub design not in keeping
Robert	Podbury	T Wells	Hub design not in keeping, more pollution
Mrs Saffron	Prentis	Sboro	RVH should be restored to former glory
Mrs Eryl	Rayner	T Wells	Hub hall seats at right angles won’t work
David	Rayner	T Wells	As a retired architect I am astonished by the lack of quality in hub plans – should modernise the RVH at much lower cost than a new build
Cllr Jason	Reeves (Labour)	Sboro	RVH has local heritage & cultural value
Mrs Mary	Richards	Sboro	Unacceptable to lose the green space
Douglas	Richards	Sboro	I totally object due to loss of green space
Alan	Round	T Wells	Proposed Hub does not respect character of town RVH clearly has local historic interest
Mrs Holly	Rowden	Sboro	Historic building being replaced by monstrosity
Nick	Shaw	Stonegate*	RVH is a unique facility for artist & audience
Mrs Marion	Short	Sboro	RVH is much loved – hub is not theatre
Matt	Spink	Sboro	Will have houses built behind my home
Annette	Stevens	Tonbridge*	Pse don’t knock down lovely little theatre
Chris	Steward	Sboro	Hub more suited to an airport terminal
Mandy	Strong	T Wells	Please don’t known down RVH
Tom	Sullivan	T Wells	Loss of football pitches & smaller pavilion
Donna	Swallow	Sboro	Hub not an environmental design & pollution
Michael	Swallow	Sboro	Plan designed by a secretive cabal
Andrew	Swann (Chairman LAMPS theatre group)	T Wells	Short sighted and selfish to rob your society of such a unique and historic place as RVH
Michael	Taylor	Sboro	RVH belongs here – it is the town’s hub
Susan	Taylor	Sboro	Introduce new facilities without destroying RVH
Suzanne	Terrasse	Sboro	Demolishing RVH for a hall is ludicrous
Andy	Thomson	T Wells	Hub denies chance of children to play sport
Scott	Towner	Sboro	RVH should stay
Miss Marion	Townsend	Sboro	Hub design is truly ghastly out of character
Mrs Norah	Traquair	T Wells	Hub not in keeping with the local area
Susan	Trusler	Tun Wells	Strongly object to loss of playing fields
Sylvia	Villa	T Wells	RVH is small jewel worth saving
Mrs Lisa	Ward	Sboro	Hub will look ridiculous in Sboro
Mat	Waugh	T Wells	Town square is unconvincing
Hugo	Webber	Sboro	Preserve RVH, hub contravenes planning policy
Ms Diane	Williams	Sboro	Design of the hub is an “eyesore”
Peter	Williamson	Sboro	RVH is important piece of Sboro heritage. Hub is unfit for purpose & laughable white elephant
Brian	Wood	Sboro	Totally out of keeping with historic character
Anya	Wood	Sboro	Hub will have a detrimental effect on town

Sboro includes High Brooms;

*comment indicates they still use or have used Southbrough facilities

(Con) or (Labour) means they have been elected to Southborough Town, Tunbridge Wells Borough or Kent County Council.

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