Boreholes and trenches will be dug at Sovereign Way Mid Car Park in Tonbridge this week as preparatory groundwork ahead of a Full Council vote on whether to approve the new Angel Centre.
Specialist teams will be on site at Sovereign Way Mid Car Park on 12 and 13 October, digging boreholes and cutting trenches to take ground samples. The work is expected to take two days. Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has been clear that the investigations are about checking what is in the ground — both archaeologically and structurally — before any bigger decisions are made, and do not mark the beginning of construction. The council says every effort will be made to minimise disruption to car park users and visitors to the town.
Planning permission for the proposed new Angel Centre was approved by councillors back in July. But Full Council has not yet decided whether to ratify the construction plans — that meeting is set for 20 October.
Councillor Adem Mehmet, the council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Tonbridge Regeneration, said: “These investigations are an important part of the planning process and will help us better understand the ground conditions for any future development. We are committed to keeping the community informed and I want to reassure residents that this is not the start of construction work.”
The council has also been in contact with Tonbridge Historical Society about the site investigations, according to Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council.
The proposed new Angel Centre, if approved, would replace the existing facility and bring an energy-efficient building, a larger gym, children’s soft play, community and meeting rooms, a café, and improved accessibility throughout.
The Full Council meets on 20 October to decide whether to approve the construction plans.
Archaeological surveys planned at Sovereign Way car park before Angel Centre decision Quiz
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