Councillors will decide on 3 September 2026 whether to release the borough’s development blueprint for formal public consultation, with the plan set to shape where homes, jobs and infrastructure are built until 2042.
Residents and businesses across Tonbridge and Malling will get a formal say on the borough’s long-term development plans — but only if councillors give the green light next week. The council published its final draft Local Plan on 25 August 2026, ahead of a Full Council meeting on Thursday 3 September 2026 where members will vote on whether to release it for public consultation.
If approved, the Plan moves to what’s called a Regulation 19 consultation. The formal, legal stage. This is where people and organisations can submit written representations on whether the Plan has been put together correctly and whether it is “sound” — planning language for whether the document is justified, effective and consistent with national policy. It’s a narrower exercise than what came before: the Regulation 18 consultation, which ran from 10 November 2025 to 2 January 2026, invited broader views on the issues the Plan should tackle and the options available for the borough’s future.
The final draft has been shaped by feedback from that earlier round, alongside updated evidence and further technical work.
The Plan covers development across the borough up to 2042 — where new homes, employment space and infrastructure should go, and how the council intends to protect the environment, heritage and the character of local places, from historic town centres to rural landscapes.
After Regulation 19 closes, the council will consider all representations received and decide whether the Plan is ready for independent examination. If it is, the Plan and all formal representations go to the Secretary of State. Fairly standard process, though rarely quick.
Details of when and how the Regulation 19 consultation will run are expected to be confirmed after the 3 September meeting.
Key information
- Regulation 18 consultation ran from 10 November 2025 to 2 January 2026 — that stage is now closed
- Full Council meeting: Thursday 3 September 2026 — councillors vote on whether to proceed to Regulation 19
- Regulation 19 will be the next formal opportunity for residents, businesses and organisations to submit representations
- Further details are available on Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s Local Plan webpage
Tonbridge and Malling's draft Local Plan published ahead of council vote Quiz
5 questions