
Campaigners opposing a plan to build 500 homes to the south of Tunbridge Wells have welcomed news that part of the site has been designated an Asset of Community Value.
This means that the local community has six months to organise a bid to buy the land to keep it out of the hands of the developer, Esquire.
Esquire plans to use the parcel of land - known as St Mark’s Field - to offset the damage from building on protected countryside.
The proposed scheme involves Tunbridge Wells Rugby Club being relocated a mile further south - at the current Chase Farm in Sussex.
A statement from Esquire to West Kent Radio argued that the Asset of Community Value (ACV) designation did not affect the development coming forward or selling to Esquire Developments.
The parcel of land involved in the ACV designation are the two plots labelled as TWRFC on the map below:
Esquire reinforced its message by saying: "We are comfortable with the ACV designation and it does not affect our plans".
It is understood that the Rugby Club can still choose to sell to the developers if the rugby club members choose.
Esquire said it had been talking to Sport England and the rugby and cricket national authorities and had recently enhanced the plans.
Esquire said the Rugby club would now be provided with a new club house, a 3g pitch, 2 cricket pitches, 5 padel tennis courts and a cricket pavillion.
The extent of the housebuilding by Esquire and other developers is shown on the map below:
Local resident Daniel Dzenkowski of the Green Weald Alliance told us why he believes the St Mark’s field recreation ground site matters. Listen here:
Dan Dzenkowski said: "Developers want to use St Mark's field as so-called "biodiversity offsetting" - in plain terms "greenwashing".
Dan Dzenkowski also said moving the rugby club to what he called a "flood prone field" in Sussex raises concerns about microplastics from the 3g pitch and the financial burden on the club of maintaining the site. Over 3,500 people have already signed an objection page on the internet.
Updates on petition here:
https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-esquire-development-protect-tunbridge-wells-and-wealden-s-green-spaces
Esquire said it was committed to bringing forward a high quality development that will deliver much needed homes.
Esquire said it was proposing the potential for a GP Surgery - again - it says - "further enhancing the community benefits the scheme is bringing and directly responding to comments made by local residents".
You can read about the petition opposing the development and the involvement of public funds in promoting the development on our earlier story:
https://www.westkentradio.co.uk/news/west-kent-news/petition-hits-2000/
This is the latest statement West Kent Radio received from the developers Esquire on 25th July 2025:
"The proposals are for 362 homes, GP Surgery/Children’s Nursery and the relocation of the Rugby Club to Chase Farm including a new club house, 3g pitch, men’s and junior pitches, 2 cricket pitches, cricket pavilion and padel courts.
The existing Rugby Club is already part located in Sussex as the grounds straddle the Kent/Sussex border.
As promised at our public exhibition in October 2024, we have undertaken a further consultation event to present what changes have been made to the scheme following our ongoing engagement with the community and statutory consultees and ahead of any submission to Wealden District Council.
This has included enhancing the sporting offer by locating an additional cricket pitch at Chase Farm and introducing 5No. Padel Courts. This proposal has been worked up with Sport England and ongoing feedback from the RFU and ECB - including the suitability of the 3g pitch – which will be available to hire for local clubs and schools.
We are also now proposing the potential for a GP Surgery to be located within the Pinewood scheme - again further enhancing the community benefits the scheme is bringing and directly responding to comments made by local residents.
The event was attended by over 100 local residents who had the opportunity to discuss their views with us. We have undertaken careful consideration of the key issues relating to the site, including its location in the High Weald National Landscape and base line surveys in respect of ecology, drainage and highways.
We have engaged with a number of Statutory Consultees at this stage including KCC and ESCC Education departments who provided us with the information of existing school capacities and feedback from KCC and ESCC Highways departments ensuring we are assessing the highways impacts.
The planning applications are likely to be submitted in the coming weeks where the detailed technical reports will be available to view and formal comments on our proposals will be received from the Statutory Consultees. Working alongside Homes England and Tunbridge Wells Rugby Club,
Esquire Developments are committed to bringing forward a high quality development that will deliver much needed homes, both private and affordable as well as new and enhanced community infrastructure, including a state of the art sports complex that will benefit residents of both Frant and Tunbridge Wells."
Proposals can be seen in the link below.
https://www.consult-esquire.com/assets/uploaded/files/files/frr-bptw-xx-xx-do-a-0706-p08-s3exhibition-boards-updated.pdf
This is the full statement we received from the Green Weald Alliance:
For nearly a century, St Mark’s has been home to Tunbridge Wells Rugby Club, Borderers Cricket, and has served as a designated air ambulance landing site. Located on the edge of the High Weald National Landscape, it plays a vital role in supporting local health, biodiversity, and access to green space.
The site is now at risk. Developers propose using the land as part of a larger scheme to build housing across protected countryside, despite more than 3,500 objections, environmental concerns, and widespread community opposition. Plans include the installation of a 3G artificial pitch, which carries known risks of microplastic pollution and high maintenance costs.
The land has recently been designated as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) under the Localism Act. This legal designation allows communities to delay a sale and submit a bid to buy the site for continued public benefit.
“Our local councillors declined to support the ACV application, but residents stepped up,” said Daniel Dzenkowski of the Green Weald Alliance. “The council’s own report notes that Sport England is likely to oppose development. There is planning permission in place to enhance the site for sport — not to sell it off or repurpose it for biodiversity offsetting.”
Many members of the rugby club have voiced concerns about the proposed relocation, highlighting poor drainage, high infrastructure costs, and long-term financial risks that could threaten the club’s viability.
GWA is preparing to launch a public fundraising campaign and is inviting local residents, sports fans, and new arrivals in the area like Johnny Depp to contribute to the effort. “Johnny — if you’re listening — we need your help,”
St Mark’s Recreation Ground is not just a playing field. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, the land was part of a horse racing track attended by figures such as Princess Victoria and promoted by Beau Nash. The racecourse closed in 1851 following complaints about disorderly conduct. Since then, the site — originally part of Moat Farm — has been used for public recreation, school sports, and emergency services.
The land also has hydrological significance. It sits atop a sandstone ridge with a medium productivity aquifer that once provided a clean and reliable water source for the town. Local engineers in the 20th century referred to it as a “valuable source of reliable upland flow.” Today, residents face hosepipe bans due to decades of underinvestment by water companies — not due to any failure of the spring itself.
The proposed relocation of the rugby club involves moving to a greenfield site in the High Weald, adjacent to ancient woodland. The site lacks planning permission, has poor transport access, and offers no guarantee of long-term sustainability. Biodiversity “uplift” claims rely on offsetting and habitat destruction, not on genuine environmental enhancement.
According to the ACV decision notice issued by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council:
“The current use of the lands furthers the social wellbeing and interests of the local community. It is realistic to think there can continue to be non-ancillary use of the lands which will further the social wellbeing.”
Even Wealden District Council supported the listing of adjoining land. However, the ward councillors for Tunbridge Wells did not speak in support. Why? Ask them
If the land at St Mark’s is not sold, the developer’s wider scheme cannot proceed. Without the sale, there is no relocation. Without relocation, there is no housing development. In that sense, the community has a unique opportunity to intervene and safeguard both the land and the future of local sport.
This is a decisive moment for Tunbridge Wells — and a chance to protect a historic and strategic community asset for generations to come.
To learn more or get involved, website coming soon (with links to petitions and fundraising) or email greenwealdalliancetw@