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A message from the chairman
Listening to Residents – HMOs and The Changes Coming to Our Communities
One of the most important roles of our branch is to listen to local residents and ensure that their concerns are heard.
During canvassing, one issue often raised with us was the risk of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) being brought into our communities.
An article from earlier this year on this website, “The Inevitable Tide: A Mother’s Concern for Tunbridge Wells,” highlighted the concerns of a local mother about the prospect of HMOs being used to accommodate undocumented migrants. As a lifelong resident of Tunbridge Wells and a mother of two, she spoke about her concerns for the safety and character of the community she has always regarded as home.
It is important to put this particular issue into perspective. The proposed HMO in Tunbridge Wells is nowhere near the scale of the accommodation planned at the former army camp in Crowborough, where hundreds of male asylum seekers are already being accommodated. It would therefore be wrong to suggest that the two situations are directly comparable.
However, the concerns raised by our local resident deserve to be heard. What happens in one community can provide an indication of the pressures that may be faced elsewhere.
Our position is about ensuring that residents have a proper voice when significant changes are proposed to the use of properties in their neighbourhoods, and that the overall impact of such changes is properly considered.
The experience of Crowborough has demonstrated why residents want greater transparency and earlier engagement. The issue there has attracted considerable local concern because of the scale of the proposed accommodation and the potential implications for local services and community infrastructure.
The proposed Tunbridge Wells HMO is a much smaller matter. Nevertheless, it is a reminder that we should not wait until changes have reached a much greater scale before asking legitimate questions about their impact.
We will continue to listen to residents and to raise their concerns in a factual and responsible way. People should be able to ask reasonable questions about what is happening in their communities without being dismissed or labelled simply for expressing concerns.
Our branch exists to represent local people, and ensuring that issues which matter to them receive proper scrutiny.
The proposed HMO may be a relatively small development in comparison with what is happening in Crowborough. It may not even be for undocumented migrants. It is however also a reminder that the changes taking place around us need to be watched carefully and discussed openly. We will continue to do exactly that.
Rob
Rob Grindley
Chairman
Reform UK Tunbridge Wells Branch
an analysis OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS WATER ISSUES
The existing South East Water (SEW) system comprises Victorian-era water sources, treatment plants, and distribution networks that lack the capacity and resilience to meet today’s baseline needs. Tunbridge Wells has suffered from severe, recurring, localised water shortages and infrastructure crises for the last 45 years. The system cannot accommodate the planned 12,600 new homes, cope with severe droughts, or handle escalating wildfire risks. It possesses no capability to support water-intensive industries, severely constraining local economic growth and stability.
The historic "central trunk" pipe design creates a catastrophic single point of failure. The operational constraints of the Pembury Works show an alarming structural deficit, with a peak demand of 10.8 ML/day outstripping the maximum production capacity of 9.2 ML/day. An investigation by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) concluded that the historic town-wide outages and subsequent 9-day boil water notice were "foreseeable and preventable," arising from longstanding weaknesses in operational management.
Burdened with £1.3 billion in debt and a junk-status credit rating of Ba1, SEW cannot fund the required £2.3 billion regional modernization framework. The only pragmatic approach is an immediate moratorium on all major new residential construction. Long-term resolution requires direct national intervention through a 50:50 ownership model, aligning with the core utility policy platform championed by Reform UK.
The Royal Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons are for Sale!
Our 256 acres of ancient woodland, heathland, sandstone outcrops such as Toad Rock and Wellington Rocks, and open green spaces are a huge part of what makes living in Rusthall and Tunbridge Wells so special.
As a resident of Rusthall who regularly walks the Commons, I know how much they mean to local people. They are places where generations of residents have walked, played, exercised, enjoyed nature and simply escaped the pressures of everyday life.
That is why the decision by Targetfollow (Pantiles) Limited to put the Commons up for sale caused such concern locally.
Many people were surprised to discover that the Commons have always been privately owned. Targetfollow acquired them in 2008 and, following a strategic review of its property portfolio, decided to sell them.
The Pantiles itself is not included in the sale.
The sale presented what was described as a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the community to acquire the Commons. Because the Commons are registered as an Asset of Community Value, the Friends of Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons were able to exercise the Community Right to Bid. The six-month moratorium expired on 26 March 2026.
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