‘It’s now or never’: Tunbridge Wells residents race to save commons from developers

Campaign launched amid fears land in heart of Kent town that has been put up for sale could be turned into flats

Tunbridge Wells locals still talk about the time Arrested Development played at the minuscule music venue on the edge of its picturesque commons. The hip-hop stars enjoyed a picnic beside the spectacular rocky outcrop on the leafy 106 hectare (256-acre) common land in the heart of the Kent town.

“Now we want development arrested for the commons,” said John Barber, a local resident and the former chair of the Friends of Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons charity.

The people of Tunbridge Wells are racing against time to raise funds to buy their privately owned commons, which have been put up for sale. Fears are growing that new owners could exploit what looks like prime real estate.

“Over the years, there’s been this piecemeal chipping away of land for development,” said Nick Leech, another resident and trustee of the Friends charity. “The commons last came up for sale in 2008. It’s a very rare opportunity for the town to secure long-term stewardship. It’s now or never.”

While public meetings about the commons’ sale have been packed out, it is not yet known how much money will be required to buy them – their commercial potential is disputed, and commons do not usually come up for sale. Because the land is registered as an asset of community value, the Friends charity has until 26 March to secure the funds to make an offer.

The wooded commons support 28 butterfly species, nationally scarce bees including the broad-banded nomad bee, 18 dragonfly species, 300 flowering plants including scarcities such as coralroot.

On a bright afternoon, the commons were bustling with joggers, dog-walkers, prams, birds singing of spring and the first bumblebees of the year.

“Just to come up here and listen to the song thrush, I really do love it,” said Camilla Macnaghten, walking Leonardo, her “19-breed” mongrel. “I certainly wouldn’t like to see it developed. It’s such a special place for centuries. Kings and queens have camped up here. For me, owning a rather full-on dog, it’s wonderful to walk him around here and have some peace from the whirl of the town.”

Clare Sinha, a local “freehold tenant” of the commons who volunteers as one of 12 conservators on the body that controls the commons, said it would be “a big effort” to buy it but her fingers were crossed: “I’d like to feel we’ve got enough legal protection for it but I don’t think we have. It always should’ve been part of the community, in public ownership, and a series of mistakes since its foundation in 1890 means it isn’t.”

Despite having been privately owned by Targetfollow, a property management company that acquired the commons as part of a commercial property purchase 18 years ago, there are stringent and specific legal protections against the commons’ development, including an act of parliament.

Targetfollow is offering for separate sale one small parcel of the common land, which is currently an unsurfaced car park for 170 cars surrounded by trees. The company has suggested this piece of the common could be turned into 104 luxury apartments and 285 underground parking spaces.

It could be possible for a purchaser to develop this parcel of land if they can deregister this section of the commons. They could do this by providing a comparable replacement parcel of land, which Targetfollow is offering to potential purchasers at Still Green, close to Rusthall Commons but not connected to it.

The Friends charity argues that the Still Green replacement land is not of equivalent amenity value, being not connected to the existing common. Similar land-swaps have been successful but a developer would have to obtain permission from the secretary of state for the environment.

Targetfollow said there has been international interest in the sale of the commons, which comes with the title Lord of the Manor of Rusthall – the type of ancient title that appeals to “status buyers”.

Richard Simm, a co-owner of the Forum, a music venue and community space in a former toilet block on the commons’ edge that has hosted up-and-coming musicians for 33 years including Oasis, Adele and Coldplay, said: “We hope the common comes into community ownership then it’s future-proofed for ever.”

He worries about the commons close to the venue being turned into new flats. “We owe a huge amount to our commons, it’s not just a nice place to be but it’s insulated us from the biggest problem for a music venue – noise complaints,” he said.

Roger Barton, the chair of the Friends, said: “The important thing is to secure the commons, not just for us but for future generations. We’ve certainly got a lot of support from local residents. What we need now is to raise the pledges to buy it. If we miss this opportunity it probably won’t come around again.”