'Once in a generation' makeover plans move forward

Updated plans for a "once in a generation" town centre makeover are expected to move forward to the next stage.

Notices have been issued seeking private firms to help build a proposed £120m mixed development on land east of Sevenoaks High Street.

A proposal submitted by consultancy firm Lambert Smith Hampton on behalf of Sevenoaks District Council include a new leisure centre, a "cultural hub and market hall" and new public spaces.

Councillors will meet to discuss the updated proposals and the next steps for the project at a full council meeting on 29 April.

Sevenoaks council has wanted to redevelop the land around Buckhurst Lane and Suffolk Way for some time, and last year made £435,000 available for planning the extensive works.

Originally, Kent County Council was to be involved in the works and wanted to replace the Kaleidoscope building, which hosts a gallery, museum and library.

In February, it was announced that the Kent authority had withdrawn from the project and the library would stay in its current location, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Once finalised, the plans could include between 264 and 300 homes, according to Sevenoaks council.

The homes would be split between a new development on Suffolk Lane and the site of the former Tesco in the town's High Street, which already has planning permission for 104 homes and three commercial units.

The council also has plans to introduce measures to "minimise the use of vehicles in the local area".

Councillors will vote on a request to put the contract for the project out to tender, with a final partner to be appointed by the end of the year.

Once a partner is chosen, design work, including finalising the number of homes included in the project, is expected to commence in January 2026, before a planning application is submitted.

The whole project is expected to take at least four years.

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