The Borough Council says it wants to spend up to £ 68 million of taxpayers money on new buildings including a three-screen “boutique” cinema in the centre of Tunbridge Wells.

The development plans would also see the end of the Victoria Snooker Centre in Camden Road which has hosted exhibition games featuring famous names like Ronnie O’Sullivan.

The Tunbridge Wells Borough Council plans are part of its efforts to revive the struggling Royal Victoria Place Shopping Centre, which it now owns.

The corner of Camden Road and the pedestrianised part of Calverley Road would be demolished and transformed into the modernist design shown below:

The corner was occupied by White Stuff chain in 2012 (see below) before the area was allowed to become derelict.

The Liberal Democrat run council says it has worked with the community to “reimagine Royal Victoria Place as a more vibrant mixed-use destination, bringing together shopping, food and beverage, community leisure spaces and new homes.”

Six years ago a major development scheme devised by the then Conservative-run council to build a new theatre in Tunbridge Wells was abandoned after a rebellion by the party’s own councillors who thought the £100 million scheme would be a huge financial burden on council tax payers.

The council aims to get planning permission for the new scheme (see below) by the summer and get full council approval to go ahead by the autumn.

The scheme’s plans to demolish the Victoria Snooker Centre were reported on by the BBC’s Phil Harrison in December.

Jerome Bowman, who is campaigning to save the centre told the BBC: “Losing the club would mean losing a vital community hub, local heritage, a place to play one of Britain’s most popular sports and a place filled with shared memories.”

Read more here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq5q64zq791o

Details of a petition to save the snooker club – signed so far by 4,700 people – are here:
https://c.org/wDcWGyb9Hv

The facade of the Camden Road entrance to the snooker centre will be retained (see plans below), but everything behind it will be demolished.

The outside currently looks as shown below:

The snooker centre is the current occupier of the Friendly Societies Building designed in 1877, which is a key part of the town’s history.

The elephant heads either side of the door are part of the coat of arms of the Camden family, which was involved in the development of the town in the 1850s. Pictures of the ornate ceilings on the inside of the snooker centre – which will be lost – are shown below.

This was the council’s response to the question: Why not simply refurbish the current buildings?

“The Council has carefully considered whether refurbishment alone would be viable. However, the existing buildings cannot accommodate key elements of the proposed scheme – including the much-in-demand town centre cinema – without substantial alteration. As a result, parts of the buildings, particularly to the rear, would need to be removed to allow the new uses to be delivered while retaining and restoring the historic Camden Road frontage of the Friendly Societies Building.”

The developers say their scheme will: “draw on local materials, proportions and detailing to reinforce the town’s distinctive identity while delivering active frontages at ground and first floor and retaining important historic features.”

The council says a cinema would “respond to long-standing demand”, make efficient use of a constrained site and will boost the “top of town’s evening economy.” The cinema would be located above five new “family-focussed” restaurants.

Its statement argues that: “income from new tenants, as well as other sources such as car parking and business rates, will help repay the government loan funding the scheme, helping to protect the council’s investment.”

Meanwhile another part of the development, Palm Court, is also set for a big changes to its appearance (shown below):

The developers say: “A new covered roof will enclose the existing atrium void – a contemporary interpretation of the Victorian Palm House structures that inspired the space’s name.”

The council statement continues: “The former basement food court will be repurposed as a new anchor leisure destination linked directly to the new cinema and restaurants. Additional community-focused leisure space could also be delivered to the north of the site, with an entrance and active frontage onto Market Square.”

The latest consultation lasts just 10 days. Plans are available for viewing at the Royal Victoria Place Shopping Centre (between iStore and Kent Relief, a few doors down from Primark) between March 12th and March 23rd. More details at this site:
https://rvpfuture.com/

Planning experts will be available to answer questions on: Friday, March 13 from 2pm to 5pm; Saturday, March 14, from 10am to 2pm; and Saturday, March 21, from 10am to 2pm.

The council says more than 800 people took part in the first phase of engagement on development of the “Ely Court” and “Palm Court” areas. There were 434 detailed feedback responses.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council bought back the lease for the shopping centre from British Land in 2023. The Council says it has already made progress in reducing vacancies and attracting new businesses, including Søstrene Grene and Primark.