I have worked on projects across the borough of Tonbridge and Malling, including a timber-clad rear extension in West Malling, a rear and side extension in Tonbridge, a side extension to create a study in Tonbridge, a loft and kitchen extension to a Victorian house in Tonbridge, a retail to residential conversion in Tonbridge, a two storey extension and loft conversion near Sevenoaks, a commercial feasibility study in the Weald of Kent and heritage upgrades to a listed former post office.
Tonbridge and Malling covers a number of historic Kent towns and villages, so knowing how the council approaches a proposal is part of getting a project onto the right footing.
- Council planning pages
- Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
- Local Plan
- The Tonbridge and Malling development plan, made up of the Core Strategy and supporting Development Plan Documents (Core Strategy adopted 2007 and now time-expired, but still part of the adopted development plan while a new Local Plan is prepared). Local Plan page. A new Local Plan is being prepared.
- What to submit with an application
- Local validation requirements.
- Article 4 directions
- The council operates Article 4 directions that remove specified permitted development rights in parts of the borough. It does not publish one consolidated Article 4 page on its main planning site, so anyone affected should check the position for a specific property with the council before assuming permitted development rights apply.
- Community Infrastructure Levy
- Tonbridge and Malling is not a Community Infrastructure Levy charging authority; it secures developer contributions through Section 106 planning obligations instead, so there is no CIL charge to budget for in this borough at present. Community Infrastructure Levy page.
- Conservation areas and heritage
- Heritage protection is significant across the borough, with around 1,400 listed buildings and structures and conservation areas including Tonbridge, West Malling, Hadlow and East Malling. Listed building consent is required for works to listed buildings, and trees within conservation areas are protected. Conservation pages.
- Local guidance
- The council publishes supporting guidance including conservation area appraisals, which act as area-specific design and heritage guidance, alongside its local validation requirements.
What this means for your project
In Tonbridge and Malling, the work I do is shaped by the borough’s historic towns and villages and by the way some permitted development rights have been removed in particular areas. If your property is in a conservation area or is listed, expect the council to look closely at materials, detailing and the effect on the wider area, and expect to need an application for work that might be permitted development elsewhere. There is no Community Infrastructure Levy here, so larger schemes are handled through Section 106 obligations. I check the current position for your specific address before any drawings are prepared.
Last checked: 26 June 2026. page reviewed Planning policy, charges and local designations change over time, so please confirm the current position with the council before relying on this summary.