Welcome to the engagement website for the future of Royal Victoria Place
The plan is to transform Royal Victoria Place into a more vibrant destination for shopping, dining, leisure and housing that is active throughout the day and into the evening.
The plans – shaped by three rounds of extensive public engagement – focus on:
A multi-screen boutique cinema to meet long-standing local demand, alongside new restaurants, cafés and leisure spaces at Ely Court
Improvements to the existing retail offer at Palm Court
These changes will help to increase footfall, support local businesses and strengthen the evening economy in Royal Tunbridge Wells. The Palm Court elements have now been submitted for planning approval to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.
A separate residential development at Market Square is also being explored, with designs progressing on a different timeline to ensure the right scheme is delivered.
Current Status
Proposals to transform Ely Court as part of the Royal Victoria Place proposed development are advancing to the next stage following confirmation that the former Friendly Societies Hall and ground floor shops at 3-7 Camden Road will not be listed.
The decision by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) follows the recommendation from Historic England that 3-7 Camden Road should not be added to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest and that a Certificate of Immunity from Listing (COIL) should be issued for the building.
Meanwhile, plans to revitalise Palm Court as part of the wider regeneration of Royal Victoria Place (RVP) in Tunbridge Wells have taken a major step forward with the Borough Council’s planning committee resolving to grant planning permission for the Palm Court proposals at the end of June.
The Palm Court proposals are set to be considered by Full Council on 11th November 2026.
Progr